Alea Iacta Est
by ekc293
Summary: A Princess and a Poet, caught in the middle of a traitorous game. Can they survive it? Or has the die already been cast? In this world, nothing is as it seems. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

Look at me! New story.  
>Okay, some things to start out with:<br>1. This is the first time I've ever tried to conquer an AU.  
>2. This started out as a late birthday present for two very good friends who wanted me to give it a go (they seem to like it, I hope you do too) since the idea has been floating around in my head for like... 6 months now.<br>3. This will be a multi chapter story (I've written a good chunk of it already. Perhaps not halfway, but nearly ) I think it will be around 13-15 chapters in the end.  
>4. I'm having so much fun writing it.<br>5. I'm super nervous about posting it.

**Disclaimer** - I do not own Castle. I'm merely playing with them.

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><p><em>Alea Iacta Est<em>

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><p>Katherine wasn't sure that she had ever seen anything as beautiful as the way the spines of the books in the library looked when the sun was shining through the large window on the far wall. The dust from the pages floating in the air, pieces of magic dancing to a melody that only they could hear.<p>

She had been called upon earlier by a servant, telling her that her presence was needed in the throne room as soon as possible. As soon as her servant had excused herself to get her morning tea, she had quickly started getting herself ready, dressing herself in a modest but elegant dress that hugged her figure perfectly, the rich, purple fabric falling to the ground around her slipper covered feet.

One of her ladies came in and brushed out her hair for her, even though she argued as she did every morning that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself. The woman powdered her nose for her, trying to hide some of Katherine's tan skin (from spending too much time outdoors), tied her hair back in a long brown braid down the length of her back, and escorted her to the library, waiting until she was needed in the room just beyond the doors.

Until then, she was perfectly content to stay within the comforts of the library. It was one of her favorite places to disappear to when she needed a break. The smell of the pages calmed her down, but it was the words on the pages that had the greatest effect.

She didn't always like living in a castle, but the library made up for it. She realized just how lucky she was to be able to be surrounded by all of these things. Words were the only things that she had felt she could truly rely on, and she hadn't even managed to read a fifth of the large room yet. This room would be with her until the end of her life.

Katherine reached out, preparing to pull one of her favorites down off the shelf to get some reading done before she was needed.

"Princess Katherine," the woman, Mary, said to her, effectively forcing her hand to freeze just inches away from her book, "the King will see you know."

Katherine had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. The woman had always been kind to her, but Katherine had been trying to get her to drop the formalities since she was a teenager. After all, Mary had been in Katherine's life since the moment she was born. She had been the one to take care of her when she awoke in the middle of the night. She had been the one to feed her and bathe her. Katherine would think they would be on more familiar terms by now.

Instead, Katherine just smiled, "Thank you, Mary."

Katherine quickly moved over to the large double doors of the throne room, immediately finding her father at the other end of the hall, talking to a group of his advisors standing next to him.

"Father," she called out to him, alerting him to her presence.

King James immediately looked up at his daughter's voice, the seriousness fading from his face and transforming into a smile. He stood up, his advisors falling back and bowing their heads in respect, but he either didn't see or didn't care.

"Katherine," he said, stepping down from his throne and making his way over to her. She met him halfway down the hall. He immediately took her hands in his, lifting them from her sides and hugging them into his chest, "My dear, I've missed you so much."

Katherine leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

"How was your trip father?"

The King let go of her hands and presented her his arm. She took it, wrapping her hand around his elbow and walking with him back towards the opposite end of the hall.

"Oh, it was how it usually is," he said, "long, boring, lots of talk about politics and young men asking how they could convince me to marry you off."

Katherine looked at her father and grimaced. He only laughed in response, patting her hand.

"Don't worry, my dear, I haven't forgotten our promise."

King James had married for love, despite the wishes of his parents. He had fallen desperately in love with a serving maid named Johanna. At the time, he had been engaged to another woman, a princess from a neighboring land, but he had called it all off days before the wedding. He instead married Johanna, and the rest of the kingdom fell in love with the maiden with the pretty smile just as he had. She was just and fair, but she was just as kind and generous, exactly what they were looking for in a queen.

A few years later the Queen became pregnant, and the whole kingdom was overwhelmed with happiness. That child was going to be the heart and soul of the entire land. Celebrations were planned for when the child was born. When Katherine was born, Johanna very nearly died. The midwives had managed to stop the bleeding, but she had already lost so much. No one had much hope. But Johanna did, if only for the little life she held in her arms.

Johanna had managed to stay alive for 10 days, nursing her darling daughter and cherishing her with all she had. In the hours before her death, she had called her husband to her bedside, making him promise that he would always treat their daughter with respect and love, and when the time came, he would let her marry whomever she wanted. He had agreed and kissed his wife one last time.

She later that night she fell asleep and simply never woke up again.

The entire country went into mourning. The entire country was a sea of black, the citizens of the nation losing themselves in the loss of their dear queen. King James had taken her death particularly hard, and sought comfort in dirty taverns all across the land (where the drinks were always free but he tipped double the cost). But by morning, he'd sober up and go spend time with his daughter, just like he promised his wife.

Despite the pressure to do so, James could never force himself to be re-marry. He was content to spend the rest of his life with the only part of Johanna he had left, his only daughter, who grew more and more lovely every day. When Kate became of marrying age, she had a plethora of potential suitors, and of course, James was not surprised. She looked like a young Johanna, and she had her spirit: free, wild, and a smile that could light up the darkest recesses of the night. He had told Katherine of the promise he made to her mother and made the same promise to her. And now, nearly 30 years later, he loved her just as much as he had as when he was a little girl.

"You do know," he said, "that you will have to marry eventually when I'm gone."

Katherine deflected the question, "Oh father, you still have but 20 years on you before it comes to that."

He laughed, "Oh Katherine, you have no idea what the world has in store for any of us. We're all just pawns in a giant, complicated game played by Providence."

Katherine shook her head, "I don't very much like the concept of Fate. If everything's already been planned then where's the excitement?"

James looked at her and smiled, "Just because the outcome has already been decided doesn't mean you know about it beforehand, my dear. Your whole life could be an adventure if only you let it."

Katherine smiled up at her father.

"I've missed you and the words you steal from others, father."

"And I've missed you," he said, squeezing her arm, "It's good to be home."

By then they had reached the end of the hall. Kate looked over slightly and saw her father's advisors staring at them, but when they caught her gaze, they looked away quickly. Kate shook her head and turned her to her father.

"Did you call on me for any reason, Father? Or did you just want to say 'hello'?"

James smiled, knowing that his daughter was far too observant for her own good, "Yes, actually. I wanted to let you know that I've arranged a surprise for you."

Katherine raised an eyebrow at him, "Did you not just ruin the surprise?"

He reached out a hand and chuffed her chin teasingly, "Well, I know that my daughter doesn't fare well with surprises, so I thought I would give her fair warning."

Katherine pursed her lips, "How very kind of you."

"Well I certainly thought so," James said with a smile, "He'll be arriving tomorrow afternoon."

"He?" Katherine asked.

"He," James reiterated, nodding as he spoke, "I saw him when I was near The Gates. He's a troubadour… Oh, don't give me that face. He's good. Very good. He writes all of his own work. I invited him here so you could listen to him."

Katherine didn't look convinced. In her experience, most troubadours were inexperienced at best. Their words were beautiful, but the delivery was poor and it took away from the experience. But, if her father thought that he was good enough to bring him into their home, then she was willing to give him a chance. Her father had never lied to her before.

"Well, I look forward to meeting him. Thank you, Father." She cast a glance back over to his advisors again and found them once again looking at the two of them, shifting their weight from side to side. Katherine turned and smiled at her father, "Now, your advisors look like they're going to keel over if they don't get a moment alone with you. I'm sure much has happened since you left 2 months ago…" Katherine leaned up and kissed her father on the cheek, "… I'll leave you to your work."

James pressed a kiss to her forehead and let go of her hands, silently telling her she was free to take her leave. He turned to his advisors as Kate turned away back down towards the end of the hall, towards the library. She sat down in one of the many armchairs scattered around the room, curling her legs up towards her chest. She reached back and grabbed a book off of the shelf behind her, deciding that she had a good bit of time to read before heading out to the town square.

She opened her book and began to read, but her mind kept drifting back to the words her father had said earlier, her thoughts filled with images of fates and pawns and troubadours that just wouldn't fade away.

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><p>I know not much has happened yet, but I would really like to know what you think.<br>SO  
><strong>Love it? Hate it? Let me know what you think!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

More often than not, Katherine tended to rise with the sun. Despite her efforts the previous day, she had gotten so lost in her book that she never made it into town. She hadn't realized how late it had gotten until she stopped being able to read the words on the page. Embarrassingly, she had only managed to read about hundred pages of her book despite having been at it for nearly half a day. For the first time in a long time, she had been so lost in her thoughts that she had found it difficult to focus on the story in front of her.

After lying in her bed for a moment, she sighed and sat up. She pulled the covers off of her, shifting so her legs were hanging off the bed. Katherine stood up slowly, curling her toes against the cool wood beneath her feet. She quickly donned a dressing robe over her nightgown, moving over towards the glass doors of her balcony. Katherine pulled back the curtains in front of her which had been drawn for privacy during the night, opening the wide doors. The cool spring air wafted into the room and Kate closed her eyes as the morning washed over her. She stepped out onto the balcony, looking down over the edge and taking in the garden that was coming into bloom beneath her. She watched the dew drops sparkle with the light from the morning sun, the little pink and yellow and white blossoms preparing to open up their flowers for the season. She put her hands on the stone railing, taking in the morning for a few more moments before she pushed herself off of the railing, turning around and taking in the ivy ladder that crawled up the side of the castle for only a second before she walked back into her room.

She left the doors open behind her, quickly moving to her vanity, sitting in the stool in front of it.

She pulled her hair out of the bun that she had spun it into the night before, letting it tumble down her shoulders. She brushed it out with her fingers, happy to see that it was enduring the teasing and still holding its shape.

Katherine stared at her reflection for a moment, taking in the slightly tanned skin and the honey brown curls that fell past her cheekbones and angled chin before resting at the middle of her back. She looked at her lips, the normal, light red color slowly returning to them after a night of rest. Finally she stared back into her own eyes, the green with brown flecks that she was told looked just like her mother's had when she was alive. Tilting her head slight to the side, she took in the creases that were starting to form in the corners of her eyes, another reminder that she was getting older every day.

Alive for 30 years and no legacy, no husband, and no children to show for it.

Frustrated, she stood up quickly, anxious to do something. Moving over towards her boudoir, she shed her robe on her bed before she picked up and donned a simple cotton frock. She moved back towards her vanity, pulling a matching brown ribbon out of the drawer and quickly tying her hair back.

She would head into town for a few hours. The morning market was one of her favorite places to be in all of Beckett. The people were always friendly and welcoming and while she loved the staff that worked and cooked in the castle, they were nothing in comparison to the warm bread right out of the oven, the freshly made cheeses and spreads, and the fruit picked straight from the trees.

She had at least a few hours until the troubadour arrived to get back and get ready. Not that she was going to purposefully dress up for him. After all, he was just a traveling poet. They all ended up being disappointments in the end.

Why get her hopes up when it would only break her heart in the end?

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><p>"Katherine, I think you're really going to like this man."<p>

Katherine looked over at her father, seeing the slight smile on his face. Kate shifted in her place, staring at him from their place in front of their thrones, waiting for their guest to arrive.

"Why do you have that look on your face?"

The King tried to school his features, "What look? What face?"

Katherine glared at him, and the King's smile broke out across his face again.

"I just think, my dear, that you are going to… appreciate him." At Katherine's questioning look, James clarified, "When I met this man he was performing in the street, surrounded by people. He scanned the crowd and grabbed the closest man to him, which happened to be me. He slung his arm across my shoulder and kept on reciting his verse until my guards seized him. They were perhaps two moments away from ordering his decapitation when I stopped it. He took me to a local tavern in thanks, paid for my drinks and we began talking. Then I invited him here. For you to meet him."

Katherine nodded and tried to ignore the fact that her father was obviously hiding something.

"So what you're saying is that he's ignorant and impulsive?"

James shook his head, "On the contrary, Katherine, he is quick-witted and thoughtful," he paused for a moment to smile down at her, "kind of like you."

Kate didn't have a chance to respond because she heard the doors opening into the throne room.

She spun around quickly so she was facing forward once again, simultaneously adjusting the bodice of the blue gown that she had decided on wearing, slightly more formal than her every day wear but not nearly as formal as a gown she would wear to a dinner or some other occasion like it. She ignored the fact that she could see her father smirk as she smoothed her hands down the front of her skirt, before straightening her neck, and folding her hands in front of her, waiting for their visitor.

After an agonizing moment of silence, the poet reached the end of the long carpet that lined the floor up to the thrones, about five feet from the slightly elevated platform where Katherine and James stood waiting. The man in front of them immediately bowed at the waist, genuflecting to show his respect. After a moment, he stood up straight, his arms awkwardly stiff at his side.

He wasn't anything like what she expected. Many, if not all, of the troubadours she had been in contact with were skinny to the point of emaciation, with little or no muscle build at all. They were pompous and arrogant.

The man in front of her was nothing like that. He was taller than her by a good head, and he was big. Through the stiff dinner jacket and high-collared shirt which had obviously been pressed for the occasion, she could see that the shirt fit too snug around his arms and chest. He looked nervous, as if he had been warned by someone along the way that if he messed up, he would be thrown in the dungeon in the lower level of the castle (which was a myth. They hadn't used the dungeon in years).

Suddenly, he looked at her and their eyes locked. Oh, his eyes. Katherine wasn't sure she had ever seen eyes so blue. She watched as he swallowed roughly before bowing in front of her again. In the recesses of her mind, she vaguely registered her father introducing the two of them. He moved to stand up straighter, finding her gaze again. Not breaking eye contact, she curtseyed slightly and gave him a small smile.

He smiled back.

She heard her father's voice in her ear again rattling off questions like 'how was your journey?'; 'did you run into any trouble?'; 'have you been to this area before?' The man answered all of her father's questions gracefully, and Katherine found herself watching the way the words rolled off his tongue, the way his lips hugged them as they left his mouth to dance in the air.

Katherine vaguely heard the sound of footsteps on the other side of her father and she looked over to see his chief advisor whispering something in his ear. She watched as her father frowned, clearly not happy with whatever he was just told, before he stood up straight, his advisor falling off to the side with his head bowed low.

"Unfortunately, it looks like I am needed, so you will have to go on without me," James frowned, looking back and forth between Katherine and the poet, "but I would like to formally invite you to eat with us tonight, sir, and to stay for as long as is needed. I'm certain that Katherine will make sure you feel at home here."

"Thank you, your highness," the poet said, bowing his head low, "your hospitality is rivaled only by your grace."

James laughed lightly, before excusing himself to go meet with his advisors, leaving Katherine and the man standing in front of each other.

The two stood for a moment in silence before Katherine spoke, realizing that he was waiting for her to speak before responding, the proper etiquette for the situation, and she couldn't help but feel slightly displeased for the unspoken rule.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. My father has told me that you're the best he's ever heard."

The man standing in front of her modestly bowed his head at the praise, though she could still see the pleased smile on his lips.

"I'm humbled," he said, sincerity pouring into his words, "The people weren't lying when they said your beauty could rival the sun. It's an honor to be considered worthy enough to play here in your presence."

If she was anyone else, they wouldn't have caught the slight lilt at the end of his words. She tried to bite back the amused smile that threatened to break free.

"Are you teasing me, sir?"

The man in front of her snapped his head up and caught her eye, looking slightly panicked until her saw her fighting a smile.

He smiled back, "Of course not, Princess. I would never dream of being so crude around a woman of your stature."

Her smile broke free.

"What a gentleman," Katherine said.

"I try to be, Princess," he said, and Katherine couldn't miss the way the teasing tone faded while he was speaking. She cocked her head to the side thoughtfully, taking him in once again before exploring another avenue of conversation.

"You have a very interesting last name. Is it your family name?"

"Indeed it is not, Princess," he said, shaking his head, "I lost both of my parents when I was very young, and my extended family did not wish to take care of me. I became an apprentice at a local bookmaker's shop. When he asked what my name was, it was the first thing that came to mind…" the man shrugged, as if the past was of no importance to him, "… the name stuck."

Katherine simply nodded, "And you found your heart in the bookmaker's shop?"

He shook his head, "No, Princess, I found my passion in the bookmaker's shop," he looked up at her, his face a mixture of teasing and honesty that forced her to stand a little straighter, "I'm still looking for my heart."

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the guards stiffen their spines, clearly not liking the direction of the conversation, getting ready to protect her. Without losing eye contact with the traveling poet, she quickly held up a hand to the soldiers to the side, telling them to back down.

She nodded at him appreciatively, urging herself not to over think his answer.

"Well then, Mr. Castle," she said, moving away from him and taking a seat in the chair next to her father's throne, "Why don't you show me your _passion_?"


	3. Chapter 3

This is, by far, the worst response I've ever gotten to a story.  
>Which makes me so sad because I'm having so much fun with it...<p>

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><p>She watched as he shifted his weight from side to side, clearly trying to figure out what he wanted to say. She hadn't had high hopes until she saw him, and now that he was obviously nervous about wanting to do well, she found herself wanting to do anything she could to help.<p>

This was way beyond the realm of his comfort zone. He's a street performer, a travelling poet who sells his words to the streets and the people who walked by. Being in court isn't just something you're good at right away.

Katherine stood up and moved from her chair. She walked quietly towards the lip of the raised platform and sat down on it carefully, letting her knees fall to the side.

"Mr. Castle," she said softly. His eyes snapped down in the direction of her voice. She smiled, hoping that it would be as comforting as she meant it to be, "there's no need to be nervous."

She watched as Mr. Castle lifted his hand to his hair only to rub it across his forehead instead of anxiously itching his fingers across his scalp. He rubbed a hand down over his mouth, his fingers working the muscles of his jaw.

"I apologize, Princess," he said, trying to avoid her eyes, "I'm just…"

Katherine stood up, and stepped right in front of him. He looked down at her, the nerves still clear in his eyes. Without thinking, she quickly stood behind him and grabbed the collar of his jacket. She felt him tense, but she knew that this would help, so she ignored it and pulled the jacket off of his shoulders. He allowed her to take it off, and she saw his shoulders visible relax once they were free of the too snug fabric.

She folded the jacket carefully and draped it over her arm, moving back around to face him.

"How can I make this easier?"

He looked so embarrassed that she once again couldn't stop herself. She reached out a hand and touched his arm. Normally, this amount of self-consciousness would disgust her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that once she got him to talk to her, it would be worth it.

"Please," she pleaded, her voice low and intimate, "there's no need to be embarrassed. I've heard your words are the best, and I know that this…" she gestured the room around her, "is not your normal stage…" Katherine looked up at him, almost shyly, "I want to listen to you Mr. Castle. I want to hear what you have to say."

He took a deep breath and nodded once, before taking a step away from her. She let her hand slide from his arm, trying to ignore the way her heartstrings pulled at the motion, and let him take the lead.

Then he looked at her and offered him his arm, "Can we walk?"

She smiled at him, happy that he was willing to try, and took his arm. He began to lead her around the room walking slowly.

"Thank heavens the weather is getting better," he said suddenly.

Not knowing what was going on, she decided to play along.

"Indeed it is," she nodded, "these past few weeks have been dreadfully cold."

He nodded back, "they have been. But today… yes, today is perfect. A most lovely day for a stroll."

Ah, that's right. They were walking. Apparently they were walking outside. Back on the streets. Back in his comfort zone. Katherine looked at him, deciding to tease him a little.

"I don't know… It's still a little brisk," she said, scrunching her shoulders up and pouting for added emphasis, "… how much farther do you wish to walk?"

He shook his head at her, fighting a smile, "Nonsense, Princess, it's lovely out today. And we can't stop until…" All of a sudden, he jerked both of them to a stop in the middle to the hall. With his free hand, he reached out and plucked something out of the air. He held the imaginary object delicately between his fingers before lifting it up to his nose and smelling it.

A flower. He had picked her a flower.

He pantomimed flipping a coin to what she assumed was the shop owner, nodding his head in imaginary thanks before turning to her. Without actually touching her, he placed the imaginary flower behind her ear before smiling down at her.

"… I make you smile."

Katherine lifted her free hand to her lips, trying to stifle her smile. It didn't work.

"Ah, there it is!" he said, smiling in return, "When thou dost smile even the devil can't help but cry. Thou art as radiant as the moon, a light in the eternal darkness, and if thou taketh all the stars in the night sky and sew them together, the light would be dull compared to the shine in your eyes."

Katherine looked up at him and saw his gaze locked on her face. And while she was horrified that it happened, she blushed.

She had heard love poems before. Read them and heard them spoken and even tried her hand at writing them, but this was different. Yes, it was different. Because while anyone could sit there and tell her that she was beautiful with some fancy words, they often didn't settle well in her mind. Words were just words and even though they sound pretty as they fall from men's lips they're empty and meaningless if there is no feeling.

But Richard Castle… he made it sound like he meant it.

Katherine pursed her lips, and then spoke.

"What if I told you Mr. Castle –"

"Richard," he said suddenly.

"What?" Katherine said.

The poet looked almost mortified that he had interrupted her, "It's just… I… would prefer if you called me… Richard. Of course you don't have to..."

She smiled at him and felt him relax against her. She started again.

"What if I told you _Richard_ that I was sick of love poems?"

"I would ask you what you'd like to hear instead."

She looked at him with a smile, knowing that he was being completely serious.

"Talk to me about destiny," she said, the words tumbling out of her mouth without her consent.

"Destiny?" He said, squinting his eyes at her, "the belief that we have no control over our own fates?" he shook his head at her, "I don't believe it."

Kate looked at him, surprised, "And why is that?"

He took a moment, "If thy person hath no control over thy own self than what is life? Thy life is full of choices and sorrow which wreak havoc on the spirit and break the frail of heart. But there are other choices, choices that lead to love and to happiness, and days of forever spent in the comfort of the sun. To think that we are simply… pawns in a game of destiny takes away the choice. Without the choice, there is no emotion, and without the emotion, there is no life."

She looked at him, trying to think of a witty response, but she couldn't think of anything. She bit her lip before breaking eye contact, "It seems you have rendered me speechless."

He smirked at her, "Well, not entirely speechless…"

She jokingly pushed against his arm, and smiled at him.

"I'm glad we went on this stroll."

He stopped her in front of the door that led into the library, before gently releasing his arm from her grasp. He didn't move away though, instead reaching down and grabbing her hand gently in his, bringing it up to his mouth and placing a barely there kiss along the back of her knuckles.

"The pleasure, Princess Katherine," he said, his eyes burning with sincerity, "is all mine."

* * *

><p>"… And then out of nowhere a man, completely nude at the time, came out in the middle of the street. Riding one of the soldier's horses. It took them 20 minutes to get him down because the horse kept trotting away from them."<p>

Katherine actually had to put her utensils down she was laughing so hard, and her father was fairing no better. She watched as he unceremoniously put his elbow on the table, bringing his hand to his face and laughing hysterically. Richard joined in and Katherine was sure that there had never been a more lively dinner at this table.

"So…" James said, trying to control his laughter, "… what happened once they caught the man?"

Richard calmed down enough to finish the story, "When they got him down he fell over. He was so drunk he couldn't even walk. They put some clothes on him and put him in a cell for 2 weeks to sober him up."

Katherine smiled at the picture in her mind, bringing her fingers up to cover her lips. She shot a quick glance to the advisors on the other side of the table, sitting painfully straight in their chairs, their mouths twisted into fake smiles.

She thought it would be best to change the subject.

"So Richard," she said, silently appreciating the way his name tasted in her mouth, "is there anything you'd like to see while you're here in Beckett?"

He looked at her and smiled genuinely.

"I've already seen everything that I've come here to see, but I'd be more than happy to take any suggestions of places to visit."

Before Katherine could respond, her father quickly cut in, "Well you certainly asked the right person, Mr. Castle. No one knows this town better than my Katherine."

Katherine blushed, "Oh father, you're too kind, although I must disagree. No one knows this town better than _you_…" she paused for moment, silently telling her father that there was a punch line, "… After all, I'm not yet old enough to know everything."

Katherine watched as James mock-glared at her before smiling, taking her joke at his expense in stride. She smiled back at him, letting him know she was teasing before looking back across the table at Richard, who was watching the exchange with awe.

"Well, Richard," she said, "Perhaps we could go on a walk into town tomorrow. I could show you all the highlights of our town," she paused for a moment, "that is, if the weather permits."

Richard's eyes lit up (at the prospect of spending time with her or their own private joke she didn't know) before he answered sweetly, "I would like nothing more than to walk with you."

The two of them sat, eyes locked and smiling, until they heard the King clear his throat next to them.

"Well," he said with a suspecting smile, "It's settled then. You'll be in good hands with my daughter, Mr. Castle."

Richard nodded in response, "Of that I have no doubt, Your Highness."

Katherine felt her cheeks warming again. What was it about this man that made her blush so easily? She was never one who was prone to red cheeks, unless it was from spending too much time outside in the winter. Yet it was so easy for this man to bring the color up to her cheeks.

James pushed his chair back from the table and stood up, everyone at the table quickly following suit.

"Well," he said, folding his napkin and placing it on the table, "As Katherine so kindly pointed out earlier, I am old, and all of this excitement has worn me out completely. I must take my leave from you all. Katherine, you will show Mr. Castle to his quarters for the night, yes?" At Katherine's nod, he continued, "Goodnight, everyone. I will see you again in the 'morrow."

The men at the table bowed while Katherine dropped into a quick curtsy, leaning over and pressing a kiss against her father's cheek to say goodnight. He smiled at her, before nodding at the room and leaving. The advisors quickly started filing out of the room after that, throwing their napkins upon the tables and straightening their dinner jackets as they left the room with only a curt nod.

When it was only Katherine and Richard at the long table, she nodded to the plate in front of him.

"Are you finished?" she said, "We can sit back down if you wish to have more."

Richard looked down at the nearly empty plate in front of him and decided that he was finished. He folded his napkin like the King had done and put in on the table beside his plate.

"No," he said, looking up at the Princess still standing across the table from him, "I'm finished."

She gave him a small smile that made his heart beat a little quicker in his chest.

No woman had ever made his heart beat so fast. With every smile, every laugh, every time she looked at him with that soft look in her eyes, she knocked him breathless. She was more intelligent than any woman he had ever meant, and he hadn't been lying earlier when he said that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

But, he was just a troubadour, a travelling poet with no ties left anywhere since the old man at the bookmaker's shop had passed away and no place to call home. He was a commoner, a man who survived on the kindness of strangers and the power of words to give him a place to sleep that night. She was a princess. A beautiful, graceful, all-encompassing Princess that took his breath away from the first moment they locked eyes. She was different. She didn't fit the typical princess role, yet she was loved by all.

She could have anyone she wanted. Why would she ever want a lowly troubadour?

"Well," she said, interrupting his thoughts, "I believe Mary already put your bag in your room. You'll be staying in the West Hall. Is that alright?"

He nodded, "It sounds perfect."

They walked in silence through the castle for a moment before Richard decided to do something about it.

"So, Princess," he said softly as they climbed a flight of stairs, "when is our adventure going to begin tomorrow?"

She looked back at him and gave him a smile, "shouldn't you be the one to decide that? You're the guest…" _and you're the Princess_, "… I assumed you'd probably want to get a little more rest."

Richard shook his head as they turned down a long hallway, "You know this town better than I do. I'm at your mercy, Princess."

Katherine stopped them in front of a large door, turning to him after making sure it was unlocked.

"In that case," she said with a smile, "we'll leave when the sun rises."

He had to bite back a groan, the thought of waking up that early making his head spin. Instead, he nodded at her.

"Perfect."

She smiled at him, and he knew that she knew he wasn't excited at the prospect of waking up so early.

But he'd do it. For her.

_Really, Richard? She's just a woman. Get a hold of yourself._

Katherine nodded towards the door.

"This will be your room for the remainder of your stay here. I hope everything is to your liking."

Richard nodding, knowing that it would be perfectly fine.

She bowed her head slightly at him, "Goodnight, Richard."

Before she could move away, Richard grabbed her hand like he had done earlier that day, and pressed his lips softly to the back of her knuckles again. Before he had done it on an impulse, stopped himself from kissing her hand fully because he was a commoner and she was royalty and the only place he was lawfully allowed to kiss was the ground by her feet. But she hadn't fought it then so he didn't fight it now, allowing his lips to linger only a moment against the soft skin of her hand.

"Until tomorrow, Princess."

He opened up the door slowly and slid through it, closing it behind him with a click.

Katherine smiled at the closed door before turning around toward the East Hall to prepare herself for bed.

Richard on the other hand, sat down on the bed and ran his hands through his hair, mentally berating himself for his stupidity.

You couldn't possibly fall in love in a day.

Could you?

* * *

><p>Love it? Hate it? I'd really like to know what you're thinking...<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Richard awoke to the sound of knocking at his door. Groaning, he looked out his window and saw the early morning shadows creeping across the small fields. The knocking increased and he threw back his covers, heaving himself up off of the sinfully comfortable bed and shuffling over towards the door.

He opened up the door quickly, nearly falling against the door frame.

And there was the Princess.

He bit his tongue to keep from swearing.

He looked her up and down, taking in the simple cotton dress that looked like could be bought from any stall in town, the small apron that graced the front. He looked at her long hair, tied back into a straight ponytail that fell over the curve of her shoulder. The light coming through windows framed her as she stood in front of him, making her look almost heavenly.

"Good morning, Princess," he said with a smile.

He watched as Katherine's eyes flicked quickly flicked down and he became painfully aware that he shirtless, dressed in only his undergarments. Normally, he wouldn't have minded. He knew he looked good.

But she was a princess.

"I'm sorry," she said, breaking him from his musings with a teasing smile, "Did I wake you?"

"No, no of course you didn't," he said quickly.

Katherine raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing him. He saw her bite her lip, a smile teasing the corner of her lips.

"Should we reschedule this?" she asked, laughter seeping into her tone.

"No!" he said immediately, standing up straighter. He ran his hand through his hair, looking back in his room quickly. He missed the way her eyes focused on his chest and the way his muscles pulled together as he lifted his arm above his head. She bit her lip, admiring his build before he quickly turned around. She schooled her features as he spoke quickly.

"Just… just give me five minutes. I'll be ready to go."

She nodded at him, adopting the teasing smile she seemed to be wearing much more since he came into her world just yesterday. "If you're any longer than 5 minutes I'm leaving without you."

He scoffed, "Hard to give a tour of your town without someone in need of a tour."

She pursed her lips, "I don't need an excuse to go into town. I'm simply helping you out."

"And how very kind of you it is to do so, Princess."

Katherine smirked at him, "You have 4 minutes."

He inhaled sharply, "Right, I'll be right back."

He quickly shut the door in between them and Katherine heard him stumble into something on the other side of the door. When she heard his distant mumbling under his breath, she barked out a laugh. Then she leaned against the wall by his door, waiting for him to come out again.

If one thing was certain, the time she spent with Richard Castle was never going to be boring.

* * *

><p>"So you've been in Beckett all of your life?"<p>

Princess Katherine nodded her head, "Indeed, I have," she paused for moment, knowing she was about to tread in personal waters, "… Do you know where you're from?"

Richard shrugged his shoulders, "Not entirely. The bookmaker's shop was in Weldon, so I assume that is where I was born. I've spent time in a lot of places though: Near The Gates, Coonan, um… I've spent some time in Kaye, Turner… lots of different provinces.

"So you've been all over the region."

"Yes," he looked over at her, "but the 12th is by far my favorite."

Katherine nodded, looking out at the road they were walking on. In the region, there were 12 separate nations, each consisting of its own towns and cities and government, all of which are a part of a treaty in an attempt to keep the peace. Nearly a hundred years before, the ancestors of great kings met to draft it, each King waiting patiently to sign it. Katherine's great grandfather is the final name on the treaty, giving them the 12th title.

Richard wasn't thinking about the Beckett's history. He was thinking about his own. How pitiful to not even know where you came from. He tried to brush it off, pretend that it wasn't a big deal. His father was never around in any of the few memories he still had of the time spent with his mother, and she died before he could even carry a full bucket of water back to their shack. He was incredibly lucky that old man Montgomery thought he could be useful in his shop.

She has a history.

Please, as if that was the real issue here.

The real problem was that she had a crown, and he didn't even have a real last name.

He heard her sigh and looked over at her, his eyes finding hers looking at him. She smiled as they made eye contact before looking at him shyly for a moment. Then, she stepped closer to him and gently threaded her arm through his. Not willing to pass up the invitation, he lifted his free hand up and placed it over hers on his arm. She looked back at him and smiled, and Richard prayed she couldn't feel his pulse through the tips of his fingers.

"So," she said suddenly, "thank heavens the weather is getting better."

He laughed, he couldn't help it, his hand involuntarily squeezing hers a little tighter.

"How much longer until we're there?"

"What, Richard? Are you tired?" she teased.

He shook his head, "Of course not. I always enjoy taking long walks uphill just as the sun is coming up."

She smiled at him, pulling him along, "Well, luckily for you, we're here."

As they crested the hill, he looked down below them. They were maybe 100 yards away from the market, and even though it was just after sunrise, the street was full of people. He could hear business deals going on, friends calling out to each other, and laughter ringing across the streets.

Katherine looked over, watching the awed smile spread over his features, his eyes crinkling in the corners. She felt her heart start beating faster in her chest.

It really needed to stop doing that around him.

She felt him tug on her arm, dragging her down the hill, "Come on!"

She laughed at his eagerness, but sped up and fell into step beside him as they reached the edge of the market. She grabbed his arm again (to keep them from getting separated of course), and began to walk them through the crowded streets.

Richard heard the occasional "Good morning Princess!" and "Princess Katherine, how are you?" and Richard couldn't help but look at her in awe. She knew everyone's name, from the shoemaker to the man on the far ends of the street with cages of livestock. She spoke to everyone with a smile.

God, she was amazing.

She looked up suddenly and startled slightly at the expression on his face.

She laughed lightly, somewhat nervously, "what?"

He shook his head, unable to stop smiling, "It's nothing."

Kate pursed her lips, obviously not believing him, but choosing to ignore him.

"Are you hungry? I know the best places in all of Beckett."

He nodded, "lead the way, Princess."

She let go of his arm and he only felt a moment of disappointment until her fingers wrapped around his wrist. He let himself get pulled through the throng of people, following her as she weaved in between stalls and carts and people as she moved towards her destination. Moments later, she stopped in front of an unassuming building, walking through the open door and pulling him in after her.

He knew they were in a bakery from the smell that immediately hit his nose. The two of them walked up to the small wooden counter and stood side by side in front of it. He watched Katherine lean over the counter slightly.

"Lady Kristine," Katherine called from over the counter.

A woman came out from a small doorway on the side of the room, dark hair pulled into a long ponytail at the base of her skull. She wiped her hands on a rag slung over her shoulder before looking up and seeing them. The woman smiled brightly.

"Oh, Princess Katherine," she said, curtsying slightly, moving closer to them, looking at Richard appreciatively, "Who's this?"

Richard opened his mouth to introduce himself, but Katherine beat him to it.

"This is Richard Castle, he's staying with my father and I. I figured I should show him the best Beckett has to offer."

Kristine looked at Richard, "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Castle, and luckily for you, I just pulled some loaves out of the oven. My specialty bread. I'll bring one out in a moment."

She nodded before walking back through the small door. He watched Katherine quickly slide some coins out of her apron pocket and sliding it over onto the other side of the counter, keeping her eyes on the doorway the entire time. Richard raised an eyebrow at her when she looked back at him, but she just smiled.

Moments later, Kristine returned from the back, a wrapped loaf of bread in her hand. She handed it over to Katherine who immediately handed it to Richard. Digging into her pocket, she began to pull out the exact amount of change that she had just pushed over the counter. Before she could even get the correct amount, Kristine stopped her.

"Oh, none of that Princess. You know I'll never accept a dime from you."

"Lady Kristine…" Katherine protested.

"No," Kristine cut her off, "now get on your way and show Mr. Castle the _best_ Beckett has to offer."

Katherine chuckled, thanking her and saying goodbye before leading Richard outside again.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear as they walked out of the door.

"You're so sneaky."

He followed her again as she wove through the crowd, another destination clearly in mind.

"Just because I'm a Princess," she said distractedly, "Doesn't mean that I should get special privileges."

She pulled him to a stop in front of a rather large stall.

He couldn't ask any more questions before he heard a high pitched voice off to the side.

"Princess Katherine! It's a fancy seeing you here two days in a row."

"Lady Erin," Katherine smiled, "this is Richard Castle. He's staying with my father and I. I'm showing him the best of our humble town."

Lady Erin turned to Richard, her short hair bobbing around her ears and smiled, "Well, then you've certainly come with the right person. Princess Katherine here knows more about this town than anyone, including where to get her best produce," Lady Erin turned and winked at Katherine, and Katherine raised a teasing eyebrow in response before looking back at him.

"Do you have any requests?" she asked.

He shook his head, trusting her judgment.

She nodded back at Erin, "the usual, then?"

Erin nodded and disappeared towards the back of the stall.

He watched again as Katherine slipped money out of her pocket and slid it over the counter where she knew Lady Erin would find it.

Lady Erin returned moments later, a wrapped block of something in one hand and jar in the other.

"One jar of sliced tomatoes and a block of my freshest cut cheese for the Princess."

Erin handed them over the counter to Kate, who took them in both hands. Richard quickly readjusted his load and took it all.

She raised an eyebrow at him, but he just shrugged her off.

Before Katherine could even start fumbling around for her money, Erin looked at her sternly and put her hand up.

"It's on the house."

Katherine sighed, "Lady Erin…"

"No, Princess. I will not allow it…" then Lady Erin's stern expression shifted into a smile, "have a wonderful day with Mr. Castle, Princess." She curtsied slightly before her attention was called away by another customer, leaving Katherine and Richard alone.

Katherine shook her head before looking back towards Richard.

"There's a shady place not too far from here where I usually eat. Would you like to go there?"

He nodded. He wanted to go anywhere with her. "After you, Princess," he said, juggling the bread and cheese and jar of tomatoes in his hands as he followed her once again through the crowd of people. They walked in silence until he reached the very last stall at the edge of the market towards what looked like a small meadow.

"These people work so hard to provide for their families every day," she looked at him as they walked, and it took him a minute to understand her thought process until he remembered their conversation at Lady Erin's stall. Her eyes were willing him to understand, "Lady Kristine's house burned down just last month and Lady Erin just bought a horse to help with her farming which is a huge financial burden. It just seems wrong to take handouts when I'm perfectly capable of paying for it myself."

"Perhaps they're just being kind," he said, "it's clear that they adore you."

She blushed, "They're amazing people," she said quietly, "I'm very lucky to be able to know them."

Richard couldn't help it, he stopped walking and when Katherine noticed, she stopped walking to face him.

"You're extraordinary," he said, the awe clear in his voice.

He bit his tongue and clenched his eyes shut, inwardly cursing his mouth that just couldn't stop. He reopened his eyes when he felt her fingers light against his forearm.

She smiled, ducking her head, before looking up at him from underneath her lashes.

"Come on, Richard," she said, nodding her head towards a rather large tree off to the side, "Let's eat."

* * *

><p>And thus begins the cameos...<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

"I cannot believe you just did that!" Katherine said under her breath, her chest heaving as her heart rate racing as she tried to control her breathing. The two of them were pressed up against a wall by her bedroom door, hunched over, hands on their knees.

She looked over at him, his face red with exertion, breathing just as deeply as hers, but for an entirely different reason.

"What?" he said, his heart racing, "that advisor has been out for me since the moment I stepped in this castle."

Kate bit back a smile. It was true, Roderick was one of her dad's most trusted advisors, but he was very traditional. He never liked how much freedom King James gave her and he certainly didn't approve of the arts being taught as a profession. He never read for pleasure, never wrote anything other than formal documents for the King. He was as by the book as you could get.

"That doesn't mean you should have done that to his saddle."

"Hey! Don't put this all on me, Princess," he said, his voice teasing, his breathing beginning to return to normal, "you kept guard."

She scrunched her nose because she had. While he went to work on the advisor's horse's saddle, she had stood at the entrance of the rather large stable, making sure nobody saw him work. She watched as he loosened the girth, just enough to the saddle would only move slightly. When she saw her father and his advisors coming back towards the stables to get their horses for their afternoon ride, she had ran toward him and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the safety of some of the bushes on the property.

The two of them watched as King James hoisted himself up on his saddle, waiting for the other men to follow. They did, and Richard and Katherine watched as Roderick put his foot in the stir-up and lifted himself up onto the horse. As his weight went up he pulled the saddle down and they watched as he fell down off the horse, landing on his back with a rather feminine squeal. In an attempt to keep herself controlled, Kate let out an very un-ladylike snort, and Richard laughed quietly beside her. When the group of men looked over towards the bushes, clearly suspicious, Richard pushed her away from them chanting "go! go! go!" both of them laughing the other time as they ran back to the castle.

She looked up at him and found him looking down at her, and she lost it again. Shoulders heaving, she slid down against the wall, unable to control her laughter. He joined in again, her laughter contagious.

"Princess Katherine," She heard someone say to her side after a few moments. She looked over and saw Mary, standing there obediently, her face looking stern, "You're father would like to speak with you." Mary cast a sideways glance at Richard before directing her attention back to Katherine.

"Alone."

Katherine sighed and pushed herself up off the ground, moving over and poking Richard in the chest.

"This is entirely your fault."

He smiled that infuriatingly adorable boyish smile in return and she had to purse her lips to keep herself from smiling in return. She spun away from him and walked towards Mary, following her out of the East Hall and towards the throne room.

She entered the throne room without waiting. Mary shut the doors behind her and Katherine made the long walk to the other side of the room, where only her father was seated and waiting for her, a table pulled up in front of him, reading over a document of some sort.

When she reached the end of the walk she curtsied, bowing her head before standing up.

"You wished to see me, father?"

He held up a hand to her, telling her to wait for a moment. She did, not knowing what to expect from him.

"Katherine," he said finally, putting the papers down on the surface in front of him, his voice firm, "I never expected this kind of behavior from you again."

Katherine stood, her back straight in front of her father, bowing her head and listening to him.

"You're acting like a teenager, Katherine…" she heard him stand up and move around the table toward her, "You'll be ruling this country one day soon. I need you to be a mature woman, not some… lovesick girl."

She lifted her head indignantly, preparing to defend herself from her father's words, when she looked at King James's face.

He was smiling.

Katherine narrowed her eyes, "Oh, you're awful."

He laughed, before beckoning her forward. He grabbed her hand as she reached him, pulling them both down on the ground to sit on the elevated lips of the thrones.

"You should have seen your face, my dear. It was priceless."

Katherine glared at him.

King James smiled at her, squeezing the hand he was still holding and began to speak.

"I'm very glad to see that you're having a good time with him."

"He is a lot of fun," Katherine said nodding, "it's hard not smile around him."

It was the truth. It had only been a week since he had come at her father's invitation. He had stopped being afraid of offending her. He made fun of her, told her jokes, and pulled pranks on her and with her. She was right when she thought that once she got him talking, he wouldn't be able to stop. He rarely did. He told her stories and made up histories for the people who worked in the castle on the spot. He read her poems and teased her. There was even innuendo, which delighted Katherine to no end. She matched him word for word and she could tell that he was enjoying himself just as much as she was.

It had been a long time since someone (much less a man) had treated her like a normal person.

"He's a good man," James said finally.

Kate nodded, a small smile forming on her lips, "Yeah, he is."

They were quiet for a moment before James spoke.

"He's good for you."

Katherine huffed, "Father…"

"No," James said, shaking his head, "listen to me for a moment."

When he was reasonably sure that he was not going to be interrupted, he started again.

"I don't know if I've ever seen you so happy. You've smiled more this past week than I think you have all year. Real, genuine smiles. And that's all I want for you. That's all your mother wanted for you."

She chewed on her lower lip, "Father, it would never work out."

"How do you know?"

She looked at him, ashamed of her answer.

James knew what she was thinking anyway. "Your mother was a maid here when I fell in love with her. And she ended up being one of the most beloved queens in all of Beckett's history. She learned, just as he would if you chose him."

"It's only been a week, Father." A wonderful week, but still, it was much too early to be thinking about marriage. Wasn't it?

"Katherine," he said, smiling at her again, "I've seen the way you look at him. More importantly, I've seen the way he looks at you. You may not be ready to admit it, but there is something there. And when you finally realize it, I want you to know that you have my blessing…" he paused for a moment, his smile turning teasing, "… though you don't really need it. When have you ever needed my approval for doing something?"

Katherine laughed, having flashbacks of the multiple times she had done things when she was younger despite his orders.

"While _I _personally thought the stunt you and Mr. Castle pulled today was beautifully executed," James continued, "Roderick is rather upset. I must request that the two of you make yourself scarce for the day. It's a lovely day for a walk, is it not?"

Katherine nodded, understanding his message. Katherine stood up, and brushed off her skirt before leaning down and offering her father her hand. He took it and Katherine helped pull him into a standing position. She began to let go of his hand but he held on tighter. Katherine looked at him and he stood closer to her, leaning down and pressing a tender kiss against her forehead.

"Don't be afraid, Katherine." He murmured against her brow, "This is Fate at work."

Katherine wrapped her arms around her father and he returned the embrace.

"I love you, Father," she said softly.

She felt him press a kiss against her hair.

"I love you, too, Katherine."

He held her for a moment longer before letting her go with a smile. Katherine smiled back and gave her father a small curtsy before turning around and walking towards the door to find Richard waiting anxiously in the Library.

He looked at her, the nerves clear on his face. Katherine smiled however and grabbed his hand.

"Come on," she said, pulling him behind her, "let's go for a walk."

* * *

><p>They ended up in the small meadow that they had eaten their first meal together. The walk over had been mostly silent, Richard dying to ask questions about what happened and Katherine thinking about what her father had said to her.<p>

She had stopped at Lady Erin's stand and purchased them each an apple, before they walked out to their tree. They ate their fruit in silence. When she had disposed of their cores, she moved back to see him sitting against the tree, his eyes squeezed shut, his head leaning back against the rough back of the trunk.

She quietly moved to lay beside him, feeling the cool grass through the fabric of her dress and sighing at the sensation.

He looked down at her and gave her a small, still nervous smile before looking away, the frown returning to his features.

She closed her eyes, waiting for him to get his thoughts together. She heard him take a deep breath a few moments later.

"Princess Katherine, I'm sorry."

She lifted a hand to dismiss him, "Don't be."

Before she could put her hand down, she felt his fingers wrap around hers.

She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"It's my fault," he said, "I never meant for you to get in trouble because of it."

She smiled at him, "Richard, I didn't get in trouble. My father thought it was hysterical."

Both of his eyebrows shot up, "Really?"

She wrapped her hand around his and squeezed his fingers gently, "Yes, Really. He only asked us to make ourselves scarce for the day. Apparently Roderick did not find it as amusing."

Richard let out a relieved chuckle.

"Princess Katherine…"

"Can you please not call me that?"

Richard froze, a surprised smile breaking out across his face.

"Would you prefer 'Your royal highness'?"

Katherine groaned, rolling onto her side and facing him, her head propped up on her hand that wasn't still holding his.

"Don't you think we're past the need for formalities?"

"So should I call you Katherine now?"

Katherine scrunched up her nose.

"No… that doesn't fit."

He furrowed his brow, "Then what should I call you?"

"… I don't know," Katherine admitted after a moment, "something different."

Richard nodded for a moment, trying to think of something. Katherine shut her eyes at the silence.

"What about Kate?"

"Huh?" Katherine said, opening her eyes and looking at him.

"Kate," he repeated, "what if I called you 'Kate'?"

Katherine tried it herself.

"Kate," she murmured. She pursed her lips for a moment before looking at him again and smiling, "I like it."

He smiled in return. "It fits you," he said sincerely, "but if I'm going to call you Kate, you're going to need to call me something a little less than formal than 'Richard'."

She pursed her lips again, looking at him, her head cocked to the side.

"What about Rick?"

"Rick?"

"It's kind of like a shortened form of Richard."

"Rick," he said, "Well, Kate, I must say that I like it."

"Well Rick," she said, his name rolling off her tongue like it belonged there, "I think I like it too."

* * *

><p>I don't think you realize how often I typed Rick instead of Richard.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

They walked back to the castle, her arm once again wrapped around his. As the sun sank deeper along the horizon, the temperature continued to drop until Kate was convinced that it wasn't spring at all. She pressed herself tighter against his side, fighting the urge to shiver against the cold.

When they reached the castle, he opened the door to the servant's entrance (it was the door closest to them) and led her inside with a hand on the small of her back, eager to get them both out of the cold.

She chattered out a soft "thank you" and he walked behind her and pushed her towards the kitchen, telling her that she needed to get something warm in her system.

The kitchen was thankfully empty of servants, so he quickly moved over and started a fire in the fireplace. As the wood burned, he filled a kettle with water from the spigot by the door, before placing it on the hook over top of the flame.

A few short minutes later, he had made them each a cup of tea, stirring some honey and sugar in hers, drinking his without anything at all.

She hummed as she held the glass to her lips, the warmth spreading through her. He had made her tea exactly how she liked it, not too sweet but sweet enough to keep the bitter tea leaves from overpowering her taste buds.

They sipped their tea in silence and Kate slowly felt the feeling return to her fingertips. As she finished it off, she looked at him and thanked him again, telling him that she was going to retire for the night.

He insisted on walking her to her room.

"What?" he said, bumping into her shoulder as they walked out of the kitchen, "What if you fall over on the way to your room because your feet are frozen and we just don't know it yet because you've already been moving? Who would save you?"

She chuckled, ignoring the fact that if her feet were indeed frozen, she wouldn't have been able to walk back from town, "There are plenty of people who live here that would be willing to help me."

He shook his head, "But _I_ could carry you to safety."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "So you want to be a white knight?"

"Only if you'll be my damsel in distress."

He was grinning as he spoke, but the sincerity behind his words knocked her breathless. Not willing to let him see that, she rolled her eyes.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, Rick… but I don't need anyone to sa-."

They had continued to walk through the dining area and through the main hall until they came to a hallway full of old rooms. They were locked and had become storage rooms, so when Kate heard voices coming from one of the doors, her ears tuned in on the sound. She walked quietly towards the room where the noise was coming from, until she heard whoever was inside say her name.

She froze outside of the door, grabbing Rick's wrist and he continued to walk on by, oblivious to what was going on, pulling him to stop next to her.

"Wha-," he started to say, but she clamped his hand over his mouth effectively forcing him to stop talking. She leaned close, her ear nearly on the door, her brow furrowed. He mimicked her movement, listening to what was going on in the adjacent room.

"…I'm saying that the time to act is now," he heard a man say, "this is our only chance."

"I think it is best that we wait," another voice chimed in, "we need to make sure everything goes as planned."

They heard the distinct laugh of another person, "Everything will go as planned."

"How do you know?" a different voice chimed in. How many people were in the room?

"Because everybody is here who needs to be here. Because of the Princess, nearly everyone in town now knows the troubadour is staying here. We kill the Princess and the King, and it can easily be blamed on the poet."

Rick felt his heart beat faster in his chest.

"And what if someone finds out? We'll be dead within a minute."

"The only people that know," an exasperated voice said, "are us and the people that are going to die. James is destroying this country, and the Princess will surely be incapable of ruling a country by herself, and if the King's comments are anything to go by that _troubadour_ could end up being our next king," they heard something shatter inside the room and Kate flinched against the door, "All because of this silly thing called love. The King went against all of us when he married his kitchen wench and she left him without an heir to show for it. Love nearly destroyed this nation once before, I'm not going to allow it to happen again."

A deadly silence creeped out from underneath the door and neither Rick nor Kate were sure they were breathing at all.

One of the first voices returned.

"So when do we strike?"

The voice who had ranted before, who Rick assumed was the leader, spoke again.

"Tonight," he said, his voice sure, "the King is gone until tomorrow morning on one of his tavern runs, so we kill the Princess tonight after she retires for the evening. When he returns home to find his daughter slain, he will undoubtedly go into mourning. We'll poison his drinks. Once he's gone, we frame the troubadour, kill him as well, and then take control. Roderick is next in line for the throne, and once he's in power he'll step down to me."

Rick heard mumbles of ascent from everyone in the room and then he heard the distinct sound of people standing up. His eyes widened. He looked over at Kate, all the color gone from her face. He heard footsteps moving towards the door and he grabbed her without thinking, running her down the hall towards her room dragging her along behind him. When he reached her room, he ripped the door open, not even stopping to worry about propriety, and pulled her inside, shutting the door quickly behind them. He spun around and saw her standing there, looking blankly at him. He moved over to her, not knowing what else to do, and put his hands on her face, forcing her to look at him as the last rays of the day's sunlight lit the angles of her face.

"I…" she started to say, but her tongue felt heavy in her mouth. She closed her lips, and tried again.

"Those were my father's advisors," she said, "Roderick was in there, and Garrison… and Jonathon… My father trusted them…"

Rick took a tally in his head. She listed three names, but there were at least four people in room.

"Kate," he whispered, "did you recognize the fourth voice?"

She shook her head, though the movement was limited by her hands on her cheeks, "No, I didn't."

He nodded, already forming a plan in his head.

"Rick –" she started, but Rick cut her off.

"We need to get you out of here," he said, his voice firm.

Kate pulled away from him, "No, I can't leave… my father… Rick. What about my father?"

"I don't know, Kate. But if you stay here they'll kill you."

"I –"

"Do you trust me?"

She paused for a moment, looking him directly in the eye, "With my life."

"Then let me get you away from here," he said, hoping his tone sounded as persuasive as he wanted it to, "We'll figure something out. We can find people who aren't traitors that will help us," he grabbed her hand and held it tightly, "Please, Kate… I can't let them kill you."

She pursed her lips, clearly not liking the idea of just leaving.

"What if we stay and fight?" she said.

In any other situation, he would agree with her. He didn't like running away from things, especially challenges. He didn't like taking the easy way out.

But this was her life they were talking about, and he'd run a thousand miles with her on his back through deserts and tundras if that meant keeping her alive.

Her life wasn't worth the risk.

"We don't know their exact plan. We don't know if they'll have knives, or swords, or ropes," she flinched with every option they had to kill her, but he knew he needed to make his point, "we don't know if it will be one of them, or all of them, and there may be more people in that room who just didn't speak. We can't trust anyone here, Kate. And I will never forgive myself if you die because I couldn't protect you."

He watched as she bit her lip, thinking for a good minute in silence before looking back up at him.

"I'll write my father a letter, explain what's going on. I'll leave it for him in his room so he'll see it. I'll tell him what we've heard, why we ran…"

Suddenly, she was moving and Rick stood there staring at her. She threw open one of her many trunks, pulling out a small bag and tossing it at Rick. He caught it before it hit him in the face, but she was already moving again. She kneeled down on the ground beside her bed and reached under it, pulling a small chest out from under it with a groan. He moved over to her and she pushed the chest in his direction.

"Put all of that in there," she said, "It's all I have in here. The rest is in a vault which only my father has access to."

She moved around him towards her writing desk in the corner, pulling out a piece of paper and quickly lighting a candle, her hands picking up her quill with practiced ease. She dipped it quickly into her inkwell and began writing out her letter to her father.

Rick forced himself to look away, telling himself that now was not the appropriate time to admire the way candlelight made her hair and eyes shine. He opened the chest, his breath catching for a moment at the sight of the money inside.

In comparison to what he knew she had, it wasn't much. But it was enough to get them through a week or two, maybe a month if they were frugal, if they needed it to. He emptied the chest into the little sack, tying it off before closing the chest again and putting it back under her bed. He tossed the coins over his shoulder while she signed off on the bottom of her letter with a flourish. He watched her blow on it, trying to help the ink dry quicker, standing up as she did so. She pressed her thumb against the ink and decided that it was dry enough, she folded it and put it in an envelope, quickly scrawling out the word "father" on the front of it.

She stood up and looked at him, and Rick had the decency to ignore the faint tear marks he could see on her cheeks.

"Are you finished?" he asked, trying to keep his voice confident.

She nodded, moving quickly back to her boudoir and pulling a cloak out of it. She tied it around her neck.

"Do you need anything from your room?" she asked.

He shook his head. He had no attachment to any of his belongings.

Kate nodded and moved over to blow out the candle on her desk, before moving with him to her door.

Opening the door quickly, Kate stuck her head out of the small space, looking left and right quickly to see if she could see anything.

Satisfied, she opened the door wide enough so the two of them could slip out of the room before shutting the door behind them quietly.

Kate began to move her way through her home, avoiding all of the main areas. She found a servant's passage that ran along the side of the house and led them through it, the cramped, dark space amplifying their heavy breathing. Leading him up another staircase, she led him straight to the door of the King's chambers. She once again looked left and right to see if there was anyone watching them, before opening up the door and slipping them both inside.

Kate quickly moved through across the dark room to the poster bed on the other side, slipping the letter onto the table beside his pillows where his reading bifocals lay. She then moved to a door on the other side, opening it quickly before walking inside, returning a moment later with a cloak that matched her own, only much larger.

He slid it around his own neck, looking at her and nodding once to let her know he was ready when she was.

She grabbed his hand and led them back out of the room and immediately over to the service stairwell again. She climbed down the two flights silently, her dark cloak making her nearly invisible against the concrete walls. He followed her steps down, praying desperately that he wouldn't fall down and ruin everything by screaming when thankfully the ground leveled out. He allowed himself to be dragged along by her, trusting her knowledge of the place she had lived her entire life before he heard the sound of a door handle turning and felt a gust of cold wind against his face.

She took a step outside and he followed, closing the door behind them. This time he pulled her along, pulling his hood up on top of his head as she did the same, both to conserve warmth and to try and keep themselves as hidden in the night as they could be. When he reached the wall surrounding the castle, he opened the gate swiftly, just enough so they could squeeze through. He closed it behind them and turned back towards the road, but the tension in his hand stopped him.

Under the night sky, he could see Kate looking at her home, staring at it from the outside. He tugged on her hand again and he watched as she turned to look at him. Her eyes quickly returned to her home, before she backed away from the gate and followed him into the night.


	7. Chapter 7

The next time Kate opened her eyes, she was cold. Kate arched her back like she did every morning to wake up, squeezing her eyes shut before curling herself up against the object that was emanating heat.

But… that wasn't normal. Her pillows were cold, and covered with satin. This was warm, very warm, and the fabric covering it wrinkled against her cheek.

She woke up a little more, realizing that she was not in her bed. She propped herself up and took in the situation.

She was under a tree, the sun just beginning to rise up over the horizon to her left. Her cloak was spread over her like a blanket, her shoes still on, her hair falling out of the ribbon that was holding it back from her face.

And she was curled up against Rick's side.

Oh. _Oh._

She contemplated just lying back down, curling up against his side again and reveling in the warmth he provided. She thought about pretending to fall back asleep and making him deal with it all when he woke up for the first time, letting him decide what he wanted to do.

But then her mind flashed back to what had happened the night before. There were people who wanted her dead, wanted to take her kingdom from her and her father.

She wasn't sure how long they had run before they eventually stopped. In all honesty, she didn't even remember stopping at all. Kate was completely unaware of where they were, and how far her father's traitorous advisors and the mystery man that was in that room with them would go to find her and get rid of her, if they'd even follow her at all. But it was better to be two steps ahead of them as long as she could.

And it was much better to be cautious than dead.

Sitting up, she reached and put her hand on Rick's shoulder, letting it rest there for a moment before shaking him lightly.

"Rick," she whispered, continuing to shake him, "Rick, wake up."

Before she could register what happened, Rick reached out, still seemingly asleep, and pulled on her hips, pulling her against him as he rolled hem over.

She let out a gasp of surprise, reddening slightly as he hugged her against him, nuzzling his face against her neck.

She knocked her cheek against the top of his head, "Rick, wake up."

He responded by trying to dig deeper into her neck.

"Don't get up yet," He murmured, "It's so early."

She closed her eyes at the feel of his breath on her neck, once again embarrassed that she was letting this man who she had known for such a short amount of time get this close to her. His steady breathing against her neck just felt so natural and perfect that she had to close her eyes at the sensation. She could lie here with him all day.

But they really needed to get moving, and for that, he needed to get up.

She shifted slightly, managing to move her hand up towards his face. She allowed herself a moment, before gripping his earlobe and pulling on it hard.

She felt his eyes snap open against his neck, gasps of pain puffing out against her skin.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" he said, moving his hand to clutch at her wrist, pulling her fingers off of his ear.

"Oh good," Kate said, "You're up."

He let go of her wrist and Kate moved to sit up. Rick glared at her.

"There are much nicer ways to wake a man up."

She smirked at him as he rubbed his ear.

"I tried to wake you up nicely," she said, "When you didn't respond to soft and gentle, I figured I needed to rough you up a little."

She watched as his eyes went unfocused for a moment, and she hid a smile behind her hand.

Perhaps her father was right. Maybe he did have feelings for her after all.

At the thought of her father though, she sobered up.

"Do you know where we are?"

His eyes quickly looked around him at her question, having forgotten why they were there in the first place. He looked back at her.

"I have no idea."

Kate nodded. She hadn't expected him too.

A quick glance to the left proved that they were only a couple of yards from a road, the land behind them lined with trees.

They'd have to be more careful about where they slept, but she still had no idea where they were.

And she knew there was only one way to find out.

She maneuvered herself out of Rick's grip, standing up and facing him, arching her back and hearing the satisfying crack before readjusting her dress. She righted the cloak on her shoulders (though it was getting warmer, it still was quite cold) before looking down at him and holding out a hand.

He looked at it for a moment, clearly trying to come up with a way to convince her to sleep for a little while longer.

She shrugged her shoulders and began to walk towards the road. Once she chose which direction to go on, praying it wasn't the one that would lead them back to Beckett. As she felt the gravel crunch underneath her slippers, she twisted on her heel, placing her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow at him, looking at him staring at her from his spot underneath the tree.

"Are you coming or what?"

* * *

><p>"How much longer?" Rick asked for the sixth time since they had begun walking two hours before.<p>

For the first time since they had started moving earlier that morning, Kate stopped. She spun around, her cloak dangling from her arm swishing around her in time with her skirt. Rick immediately stopped behind her, keeping himself from running into her.

"Richard?" she said, her voice too innocent.

He immediately stood a little taller and Kate nearly rolled her eyes. As if their difference in size would stop her from doing anything to hurt him.

"Yes, Katherine?" he responded.

She took another step closer to him, and to his credit he didn't move away.

She lifted her hand to the collar of his shirt, not bothering to keep her fingers from touching the skin of his neck. She watched as he gulped, whether from her touch or the fear of what she was about to do she didn't know.

"If you ask me how much longer it's going to be…" she whispered, "I'm going to break both of your legs. Do you understand me?"

He nodded, but he was smiling, "Do you think you can take me?"

She chucked at him, "Oh Rick, you should know by now. Sometimes it's not about strength. Sometimes finesse wins wars."

Rick opened his mouth to retort, leaning down so his face was closer to hers.

"Hello there!"

Both Kate and Rick startled apart at the unfamiliar voice.

They looked over in the direction that the voice came from, immediately finding the source. He was a rather big man, with broad shoulders and blonde hair. He looked them up and down, stopping his donkey that was pulling his cart along the dirt road. Rick recovered first.

"Oh, thank goodness someone found us," he said, looking at the man in question, "We seem to be hopelessly lost. Can you tell us where we are?"

The man nodded, "Why you're just outside of Ashley. Maybe only a mile or two from where you are right now."

Kate mentally figured out where they were. Ashley was just over the northeastern border of Beckett.

"How did you two find yourself out here?" the man said looking at them up and down.

Rick spoke again, "We were on the road," he said, "When we got attacked by bandits. They took our horses and everything we had but the clothes on our back and the money we had on our persons."

The man took in their slightly haggard appearance and apparently believed them.

"Well it's a good thing you're alright," the man said, clearly looking only at Kate, "We wouldn't want anything to happen to such a pretty lady."

Kate gave him a tight lipped smile.

"Where were you travelling to?"

"Wherever we were welcome," Rick responded immediately. "We're travelling poets."

The blonde haired man pursed his lips, clearly unimpressed, "Both of you?"

"Yes," Rick said, his tone tight, "We're a duo, partners of sort if you look at it a certain way."

Kate smiled at Rick to play along, deciding it was time to cut the tension.

"It's been an awfully long day," she said, breaking eye contact with Rick and turning back to the man on the cart, "If you could just point us in the direction of the nearest inn, Sir, we would be forever grateful."

The man smiled at her, "How about I do you one better. There's plenty of room in the cart. Hop on up and I'll take you there."

"Oh, no, Sir," Kate said, trying to sound sincere, though the thought of getting off her feet for a while was nearly too much to ignore, "We could never ask you to do that for us."

"Nonsense," he said, hopping down off of his spot in the front of the cart and opening the latch on the back so they could crawl in, "I insist."

Kate sighed, grabbing Rick's wrist and moving him over towards the cart. Before either man got the chance to try and help her, Kate crawled up into the bed of the cart sitting down against the side as she watched Rick crawl up after her with an amused smile on his face.

The man shut the gate at the end of the cart before he moved around to the side. "We should be in Ashley in 10 minutes or so… I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your names."

"Jameson," Rick said, extending his hand over the edge of the cart. The two men shook hands. They then looked expectantly at Kate, waiting for her to say her name. She said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Nicole," she said with a smile. "Thank you again for your generosity, Mr…" she trailed off, knowing that he would get the hint.

"Sorenson," he said, "but you can call me William."

xXx XxX

"I can't believe you told them I was a troubadour," Kate said, settling herself onto the small bed in the inn that William had led them too. Rick had his own room next door, but he was leaning against the wall in hers at the moment. They had to figure out what they were going to do.

He raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong with being a troubadour."

She groaned, realizing how bad that sounded.

"Nothing… for you. You're amazing at what you do."

"And you aren't amazing?" He said, his tone teasing, "Well, I'd have to disagree with you there, Kate."

He took in her form lying on the bed, her eyes closed tightly with one arm up by her head, the other lying against her stomach.

She looked exhausted.

As he watched the steady rise and fall of her chest though, he decided it didn't matter.

She was still alive and breathing. That's all that mattered.

He moved over from his spot by the wall and pushed himself to lean against the wall directly beside her bed.

"I don't think I can do it," she whispered, her voice painfully soft.

"Of course you can," he assured her, "you're royalty. Speaking in front of people is in your blood. You'll be a natural."

When she nibbled on her lip anxiously, he finally realized what she wasn't saying.

"Wait, a future Queen who doesn't like to be the center of attention?"

"Don't sound so surprised," she mumbled, pulling the pillow out from under her head and pressing it against her face, trying to hide from him.

Without thinking he sat down next to where she was lying down, pulling the pillow from her face and putting it next to him. He put his free hand on top of hers that had made its way onto her torso, looking up at him at the contact.

"I'll teach you everything I know so we'll be ready if we do have to speak, though we can just keep moving before it comes to that. I won't let you embarrass yourself," he said, squeezing her hand as he did so, "I promise."

Kate looked at him, and he let the sincerity pore out of his eyes, hoping that it masked all the other emotions that were threatening to spill out. A moment later, she pursed her lips slightly and nodded, squeezing his hand right back.

A knock on the door startled them out of their staring contest, and Rick jumped off the bed. Kate sat up and called to whoever was at the door, letting them know they could come in.

Rick heard the door click open.

The woman he recognized as Gina, the woman who ran the inn walked in, carrying two buckets of water over towards what was supposed to be the bathing area, which in reality was a basin in the top left corner of the room.

She gave the two a curt nod as she but the buckets down before exiting the room again, mumbling something about the audacity for a man to be in a lady's room when the two were unwed.

Rick watched Kate roll her eyes at the woman's back, who was standing at the door, holding it open, clearly signaling that it was time for Rick to leave.

He didn't want to, and they still hadn't talked about their plan, but he knew that she would want to get herself clean, and as much as he'd like to see that, he knew she wouldn't appreciate it. Beside, on check-in, Gina had informed him that he would also get water brought up to his room. And he could really use the opportunity to wash himself.

So he smiled at Kate, telling him with his eyes that he would be back over later so he could teach her the art of public speaking, just like he promised. She gave him a small smile back and nodded. Then she arched her eyebrows in the direction of the door, effectively kicking him out.

Not giving himself a chance to talk himself out of it, her leaned over, placing one of his large hands on the bed and leaning over, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

She looked at him, the confusion etched on her face before he smiled at her, standing up straight and leaving her alone.

* * *

><p>Just so you know... I have my first batch of midterms this week.<br>Yeah... probs won't be much coming from my side of the computer screen this week.  
>Keep telling me what you're thinking! I'm so glad to see some of you guys are enjoying this strange little AU I've cooked up in my mind.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Rick walked out into the cramped corridor, nodding at the disgruntled Gina before moving into his own room. He had left the door unlocked, so Gina had already put his two buckets of water near his own basin, pressed into the bottom right corner of his room. Without wasting any time, he stripped off his clothing, leaving it in a trail from the door to the basin and stuck his finger into the water, pleasantly surprised to find that the water was lukewarm.

He stepped in the basin, pulling the buckets closer to him before picking up the clay cup that was bobbing inside, filling it to the top and pouring it over top of his head.

As he bathed himself he let his mind wander the woman on the other side of the wall.

She was perfect for him, he had no doubt. She was a constant surprise. A mystery he knows he'll never solve. What he did know was that she was intelligent; she could match his wit and banter with an ease that no one else had ever been able to accomplish. She was brave; who else would leave their home in the middle of the night with a nearly perfect stranger? She was trusting, although he wasn't sure that extended to everyone right now. The important thing was that she trusted _him_, which is more than he could ever ask for.

And she was beautiful. Oh, how beautiful! If the sun were to stop shining the entire world could be lit up by her smile. Her eyes alone could make his heart beat faster in his chest. Everything about her exuded grace and confidence: from the curve of her neck to the line of her nose down to the arch of her foot in her slipper. He could still feel the way her skin felt under his fingertips, the way her scent tickled through his nose as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. A little over, just tilting her head a few inches to the side and he would have kissed her lips.

Suddenly, he wished his water was colder.

He sighed, running a hand through his wet hair and down over the back of his neck.

She was so different from any woman he had ever met. He wanted her. He wanted to be with her and treat her right and love her…

He choked out a laugh.

Yeah, he and every other single man in the country.

He didn't have a steady source of income, he didn't have a real family name to be proud of, and he didn't even have any family. He was a wandering performer, trying to make it through life with kind smiles and pretty words that came from his heart but no one cared about unless he called them out at the top of his lungs, demanding them to be heard.

Why would she ever want him back?

But she did, didn't she? If she didn't want her to touch him, she would make him stop. Wouldn't she? And what was that about what that man had said the other night? Himself as the next King? That Kate and her father would throw away their whole country for love? Love? Could she love him? Could she be falling in love with him? Could she have already fallen in love with him?

It was absurd, but at the same time it was the only thing that made sense.

Regardless, he knew he couldn't do anything about it. Not now.

As hard as she tried to hide it, Rick was sure that this entire experience was going to wear her down. She was away from home for the first time ever, surrounded by people that she didn't know, and he had gone ahead and already put her in a situation she wasn't comfortable in.

And then there was the fact that people wanted to kill her.

Rick knew that whatever happened between the two of them, it would have to be initiated by her.

He shook out his hair, letting all the excess water drip off his skin before stepping out of the basin. He grabbed a small towel that was lying on the corner of the bed and dried the rest of himself with before pulling on his trousers and sitting down on the bed. He assumed that Kate was going to spend a little more time bathing herself than he did.

He groaned, the image of her wearing nothing but water flashing across his eyes without his permission. He shook his head, trying to erase the image from his mind before flopping down on the hard bed, throwing his arm over his eyes as he squeezed them shut.

Maybe some sleep would do him some good.

* * *

><p>Kate gave herself a few moments to compose herself after she heard her door click close before she made any move to stand up. Taking a deep breath, she lifted herself off of her bed and walked towards the basin in the corner of the room, slipping her dress down over her shoulders and letting it pass over her hips and pool at the floor by her feet. She slid off her slippers and her underclothes before settling down into the basin. She lifted the clay cup in one of the buckets, taking in the light stream of steam still floating up from the water and into the air. Kate filled the cup before bringing it over the edge of the basin and pouring it down her shoulders.<p>

She let her mind wander back to the Rick Castle, and the way his lips felt on against her skin.

She had men act affectionately towards her before. Men who would brush their fingers along the small of her back or hold her hand gently in the palm of their own. She had men kiss her knuckles, even men so brazen as to lean forward and kiss her cheek without her permission.

But none of them felt like Rick.

The actions of other men felt hollow in comparison. They were empty gestures that they used in an attempt to trick her into falling in love with them. They didn't want her. They wanted the power she came with, the future of wearing jewels around their necks and atop their heads, the right to say that they had managed to tame the wild Princess Katherine.

They came in with a plan, and they were always so shocked when it failed.

But Rick… Rick never had a plan. He hadn't come to the palace with the intention of trying to win her over. He came to do his job, because the King asked him to and he couldn't say no. He had come into her home with nervous eyes and an uncomfortable jacket that could barely speak in front of her because he was so afraid of offending her. Now, she could barely get him to stop talking.

How far they had come in only a week's time.

She poured the water down over her skin, watching as the dirt on her arms fell away from her skin, pooling at the bottom of the wooden tub. She ran her fingers through her wet hair, massaging her scalp as she tried to get all of the knots out of it.

She blushed as she thought of what it would feel like if her fingers were replaced with much larger ones.

She couldn't afford to think like that. Not now.

She and Rick were running for their lives, pretending to be people they aren't. It's been sheer luck that Kate hadn't been recognized by anyone already. Now was not the time to…

Time to what? Start a relationship? Fall in love? She liked him, no doubt. He was intelligent, and kind, and he really did have her best interests at heart.

Maybe once everything settled down, they would have a chance. Isn't that what her father had said? To not be afraid and just take a chance? That this was "fate at work".

As of right now, Kate could admit to herself that she was afraid of quite a few things, but Richard Castle was not one of them. If anything, he was the only thing that was keeping her from going insane. If it hadn't been for him, she would probably be dead. For some reason, she trusted him, and for now that was enough.

If this was truly fate, Kate surmised as she stepped out of the tub to dry herself off, then everything will work itself out.

If this was truly fate, he would wait.

* * *

><p>"Alright, you need to project your voice," he said, as he stood on the opposite side of the river. There was only a few meters of water running between them but she could barely hear him over the rush of water.<p>

"Rick this is stupid!"

They had wandered around town for an hour, before Rick snuck them off into the woods, looking for a place where he could try to teach Kate how to speak. He led her through the trees for 10 minutes before they stumbled across the roaring river. He had found a log a little further down the way and walked across it, leaving them standing across from each other.

"Ah," he said loudly, "I said 'project' not 'scream'. That was definitely a scream."

Kate bit the inside of her cheek, crossing her arms over her chest.

He called her on it immediately.

"Uncross your arms, Princess. Keep your shoulders back and speak using your diaphragm," he put his hand between his ribs, "you should feel it here."

Kate sighed, shaking her head, but did as he said.

"What am I supposed to say?"

She watched him smile at her from across the bank, "Whatever you want!"

She took a deep breath and ran her tongue over the front of her teeth. She was quiet for a moment before she called out to him.

"One time when I was little I stuck a raisin up a nose."

She heard him snort on the other side of the river, watched as he leaned over onto his knees as he laughed.

She smirked, happy that she had been able to take him by surprise.

"That…" he managed to choke out between laughs, "was not what I was expecting," he said, explaining his laughter. "Why did you stick a raisin up your nose?"

Kate shrugged.

"My tutor at the time told me that if one sense is taken away then the other sense become stronger. I wondered if a raisin would taste better if eaten through the nose rather than the mouth."

Rick laughed again, but he smiled at her all the same, amazed with how her mind worked, even at such a young age, "And did it?"

Kate shook her head, "No, it was just more painful."

"How did you get it out?"

"I didn't."

She let that sink in for a moment.

"You still have a raisin stuck up your nose?"

She kept a straight face until she couldn't stop the smile that broke free. He glared at her and she laughed harder.

"My father got it out. I wouldn't let any of the maids touch me because I was afraid that they'd push it into my brain. He sent out for a pair of long skinny tweezers from the local town doctor, sat me down in a chair and pulled it out."

Kate trailed off, getting lost in the memory of that day.

"You're doing perfectly," she heard Rick call out, mistaking her silence for insecurity, "A natural just like I said."

"My father likes to tell that story," she said with a smile on her face, "He says he saw my mother in me on that day, and it took his breath away. He claims it was the moment he realized that I was going to be a handful."

She could see Rick's smile, "Why are you telling me this?"

Rick flinched as soon as the question left his mouth, beating himself in his mind as to why he would question the gift of her candid storytelling.

Kate thought about it. She didn't know why she was telling him all this. She had never been one to open up about the past unless asked, especially when they were memories as precious as this one. Nobody else ever got close enough to even want to find out.

A moment later, she smiled and shrugged her shoulders at him, deciding to give him something to think about.

"I guess I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into."

* * *

><p>Halfway through my exams, and I'm not particularly worried about the next two.<br>Yay!


	9. Chapter 9

By the time they got back to their inn, the sun was just setting over the horizon. They nodded at Gina, the pretty blonde woman behind the table where they had checked in, who looked like she was going over the records of the inn. She gave them a forced smile before turning back to her paperwork.

Rick followed Kate as she led them up the stairs and through the narrow hallway towards their rooms. She slipped the small key out of her pocket and jammed it into the lock, fighting with it to get it open. When she finally managed to make it inside, she reached out and grabbed his shirt, pulling him in behind her.

He walked in, immediately walking over and leaning against his spot against the wall. He watched as she toed off her slippers, smiling inwardly that she felt comfortable enough to do so in front of him before she sat down cross-legged on her bed. She looked up at him, staring at his face for a moment before she gave him a small smile, patting the spot next to her by her pillows.

He hesitated for only a moment before he sat down next to her.

She let out a sigh, putting her hands behind her and leaning back on them, her back arching as she stretched.

Not that he was looking at the arch of her spine and the way the motion forced her to tilt her head back and elongate the column of her neck.

"So," she said, her voice breathless, "do you have a plan?"

He jolted back to reality, thinking of what she just said.

"Well, I certainly don't think we want to stick around here for too long…" he looked over at her to see her nodding along with him, "… I was thinking we could pick up some things around town: some food, a map, possibly another set of clothes - before we figure out another place to go."

If they bought only the bare essentials and stayed in relatively cheap inns, they would have enough money to last them a few weeks. Hopefully it wouldn't take that long for everything to get sorted out back in Beckett, but they couldn't be too careful.

"Sounds good," she said, sinking back into the pillows on her bed, "Do you have any ideas where we should go next?"

"Isn't that up to you, Princess?"

He heard her shrug her shoulders. He refused to look at her, knowing that the sight of her lying on her bed would be enough to keep him up all night.

"You've travelled more."

He nodded. He certainly had been to more places than she had.

"Ashley is right over the border into the 8th nation. I think it would be best if we stayed near the border of the 12th so we can easily get back to Beckett if need be and we can stay informed with what's going on back home. I believe that if we keep travelling north from here, we'll hit Kyra, but I'll know for sure when…"

He broke his unspoken rule and looked down at her as he spoke, checking her face to see what he thought of her plan when a silly smile spread over his face.

She had fallen asleep.

He stared at her for a moment, resisting the urge to reach out and brush his fingers over the smooth skin of her brow, pushing some of the locks of hair that had fallen free of her usually so neat ponytail back off of her face.

Instead, he stood up, being very careful not to jostle the bed. He slowly pulled the bed covers from underneath her form, his eyes trained on her face to make sure she stayed asleep before covering her with them. He leaned down and pressed a barely there kiss along her temple, whispering softly against her skin.

"Until tomorrow, Kate."

* * *

><p>The following afternoon they found themselves walking through Ashley, their arms laden with their purchases from the day before. They had bought two loaves of bread, and some fruit; just some things to hold them over until they could reach the next town. They decided against another set of clothes, thinking that they would see if they happened to come across any more money before buying luxuries. They did, however, find a map, which Rick was sure they were going to need.<p>

The two had nearly made it back to their inn, where they would stay for only a few hours before traveling by starlight, still wary of the danger of being seen on the roads alone during the day, when they heard a voice call out to them.

"Look!" they heard, "It's Jameson and Nicole, the traveling poets!" The two of them froze, looking up to see William pointing at the two of them, everyone around them stopping to stare as well. At the mention of poetry, everyone around them seemed to start talking at once. Requests to recite some poetry for them were coming from every direction and Kate tried to keep the blood from draining from her face.

She looked at Rick, the panic clear on her face, but he just smiled at her and began to put their stuff on the ground, gesturing to her that she should do so as well. She did, bending down next to him. He grabbed her arm once she had put her burden on the ground, his voice gentle in her ear.

"It's going to be alright," he said, his eyes locked on hers, "I'll take the lead, and you just play off of what I say."

He paused for a moment before smiling at her.

"Do you remember my promise?"

_I won't let you embarrass yourself._

Kate took a deep breath, never breaking eye contact before nodding, knowing that her eyes were saying what she wasn't sure she could say out loud in this situation.

_I trust you._

She knew he understood.

His hand loosened on her arm and he stood up straighter with her following.

He clapped his hands together, and she watched in fascination as he controlled his features before he turned around.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," he said, his voice loud, "I am Jameson, and this beautiful lady to my left is Nicole. Would you like to hear something sweet?"

She heard the hum of the crowd, but her gaze was fixed on Rick, waiting for him to make a move.

"Nicole," he said, turning to her, "have you ever been in love?"

Kate raised an eyebrow, "Of course I have… Jameson," she had to paused to remember not to call him Rick. She tried to play off of her strengths. She didn't do sweet and romantic. She did humor.

"I fall in love every day."

He chuckled as the rest of the crowd did, moving away from her, "Oh, is that so?"

She moved in the opposite direction, a smirk on her face, "It is… I fall in and out of love like the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening."

He smiled at her before schooling his features, his eyes telling her that she was doing wonderful.

Confidence surging, Kate began to move through the crowd as well.

"Have you, Jameson?"

"Have I what, my dear?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

Rick swallowed hard, not expecting her to bring it around on him.

"I'm quite like you, Nicole," he said finally.

"How so?," Kate said, her tone honestly curious, the people in the crowd watching with rapt attention as she glided around them.

God, she was amazing.

He took a deep breath.

"I fall in love every day."

She didn't need to know it was with her, and that every day he simply found something else to love about her.

"It's tiring, don't you think, Jameson?"

"What is?"

She sighed, and he felt her breath travel across the air and curl against cheek.

"Falling in love every day."

"I'd think it more like an adventure."

"An adventure?"

"Yes," he said, his voice picking up, "A beautiful adventure. Every day I fall in love over and over again. I fall in love with the wind as it tickles my cheek. I fall in love with the smell of a fresh loaf of bread straight from the oven. There's no greater pleasure than falling in love with the smile of a beautiful woman every time you see it. Love makes everything new."

"Well I believe love breeds fools," Kate said, "Are you a fool, Jameson?"

"If you deem it so, Nicole than it must be true. If love breeds fools than get me a cap to proclaim it loudly. I am not ashamed. Love is never wrong."

"Oh love, love love… say it enough and it does not sound real." Kate spat.

"Love is the only thing that's real!" Rick called out, his voice strong, "Love is the very thing that can bring a grown man to his knees. True love runs deeper than the deepest sea in all the world. Without love, there is nothing…"

"And what if I called you a liar?" Kate interjected, her voice carrying across the enrapt crowd as she moved gracefully around the people, "What if I told you that there is no such thing as love?"

"I don't know what you're suggesting, fair maiden," Rick said spinning closer to her, the confusion clear in his voice.

"I'm suggesting that love is just a fantasy. The only thing that exists is coincidence. Meeting someone at a convenient time and hoping to get something from them."

"Oh, beauty, you play with my heart like a child with a stone!" Rick projected, coming closer to Kate and grabbing one of her hands and she moved away from him, "Love is the only thing that's real! Those coincidences you speak of are fated, and if fate ever played a role in the course of our lives it was that destiny brought me to you. It was fate that caused our eyes to meet across the long hall and providence that danced between us as we walked down that very corridor arm in arm. The only thing I could ever hope for is a piece of your heart that I can place in the empty part of my own where I've already carved out a part to give to you…" He moved closer to her, placing his hand on her cheek, "… I did not fall in love with you because of 'coincidence'. I fell in love with you because it was my destiny to do so."

Kate stood frozen, his hand still pressed against her cheek as he stared back into her eyes, swallowing loudly. Then, she heard the roar of the crowd around them, cheering and whistling and praising their performance. She broke eye contact when she felt people touching her, pulling her into the crowd and away from Rick, men and women shoving free change into their hands and exclaiming what a wonderful pair they thought the two of them made.

Kate turned to look at them, nodding and thanking them as they continued to congratulate them.

Kate looked over the heads of some of the townspeople, finding Rick's eyes already focused on hers. They stared at each other, the air between charged with questions and static that made the hairs on Kate's arms stand on edge.

A moment later, both of their attentions were pulled back to the people around them, the two of them being assaulted separately by praise.

_I've never heard such lovely poetry._

_Your voices blend together so beautifully._

_It seems like you two have been together for years._

_How long have you been together?_

_Where is your ring?_

_Your children will be so beautiful._

They would need to talk about this.

* * *

><p>They didn't talk about it.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

"I don't understand you."

Kate looked back to where Rick was walking slightly behind her, her eyes well-adjusted to the dark and walking by the light of the moon.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Kate said, unsure of what an appropriate response to that would be.

"It has got to be at least midnight…" he said, ignoring her answer, "…we've been walking since the sun set, and you haven't slept in over a day," he paused, cocking his head to the side and looking at her.

"How are you still moving?"

She smiled in the dark, "We had some tea before we left."

"Tea?" He said incredulously. "Your reasoning is tea?"

She laughed lightly, shrugging slightly, "Tea keeps you awake."

"For possibly an hour or two!" Rick said, his tone like that of a child, "One cup of tea does not keep you awake for half the night."

"Oh come on, Rick," she said, "You took a nap before we left! Stop whining and keep walking."

He stopped walking, his mouth dropping open.

"I am not whining!" he said indignantly. "I am simply pointing out that the amount of energy you have for someone who wakes up as early and sleeps as little as you do is uncanny… I would even go so far as to say it's inhuman."

She choked out one sharp laugh, cognizant of the darkness and what might be lurking in the shadows before she controlled herself, turning to look at him with a teasing smile.

"Inhuman, huh? So, tell me Richard… If I'm not human, what am I?"

He didn't even pause to think about it.

"I don't know… A goddess, perhaps? An angel? A sorceress? I can't decide."

Kate rolled her eyes, thankful that the darkness covered up her slight blush.

"I'm sorry to inform you, Rick, but I really am human. I bleed and laugh and cry just like everyone else."

He picked up his steps, until he fell into step beside her. She felt his eyes on her face, but she didn't give him the satisfaction of looking at him.

She heard him suck in air past his teeth before he quickened his pace to step in front of her. She was about to side step him when he turned around, walking backwards in front of her.

"I don't believe you."

She rolled her eyes again even though she knew he couldn't tell.

"I doesn't matter if you believe it," she said, "I'm human."

"Then you're an extraordinary one," he said, "and by the far the most mysterious one I've ever met."

"Well, I can't have you knowing everything about me, Rick."

"Unfortunately for you, Princess," Rick said, "I don't like mysteries to remain unsolved."

"Oh, Rick, if you solve the mystery, you'll stop coming back," she kept her tone light, trying to keep the fear out of her tone.

"However, there is no doubt in my mind that there is much more to you than meets the eye…" even in the dark, she could tell he was smiling, "… and I have plenty of time to figure you out."

* * *

><p>"Are we the-"<p>

"Rick."

"My apologies."

* * *

><p>By the time they finally arrived in Kyra, the sun had just risen over the horizon. They walked directly into the town square, taking in the sight of the few lonely people milling about the streets. Rick asked them where the closest inn was and the people told them without much enthusiasm where to find one. They did inform them, however, that the closest inn was by far the closest inn of them all, by a good mile or two. Rick and Kate thanked them and began walking in the direction they pointed them in.<p>

Rick leaned over and whispered in her ear as they walked away.

"Well," he deadpanned, "they're pleasant."

Kate shrugged her shoulders, feeling the heaviness in them.

"Maybe they don't have anything to be happy about."

Kate knew that he was surprised by her reaction without even looking at him.

"Why Princess," he said softly, "that's quiet cynical of you."

Kate stopped at the threshold of the inn they had just arrived at, before she looked back at him.

"So many layers to the Princess," Kate said, the self-deprecation and disdain for the title clear in her tone, "Are you sure you still want to see them all?"

She walked through the door, not giving him a chance to respond as she approached the front desk, the woman behind the counter looking up at the two of them.

She wasn't one for small talk.

"It's 3 for a night, 18 for a week," she clipped, her accent coating her words.

Kate approached the desk.

"We need two rooms," she said.

"We don't have two rooms."

"Well, how many rooms do you have?"

The woman looked up with an annoyed sigh, "one."

Kate pursed her lips, far too tired to deal with this woman.

Rick grabbed Kate's arm gently and began pulling her away.

"Thank you for your time ma'am," he said.

Kate shrugged him off. "No, we'll take it."

She felt him stiffen behind her at the same time she saw the woman's eyes widen. She looked between the two of them.

"You're married?"

Kate kept a straight face as she nodded.

"Yes, newlyweds. I'm Nicole, and this is my husband, Jameson Rodgers…"

Suddenly, Kate realized that she probably should have asked Rick if he was comfortable sharing a room with her. Kate was too tired to care, but he might. Perhaps that was why he had frozen.

She spun around and put her hand on his chest.

"You don't mind, do you Jameson? I know you like your space but it'll only be for one night…"

Rick shook his head numbly, the idea of staying in the same room with her creating equally powerful and conflicting thoughts. He was still trying to figure out why she would blatantly lie about them, and why it was so damn important that they stayed here.

"Whatever you want, my dear," Rick said.

The woman looked between them, her expression still disbelieving.

"Are you su-"

"Look," Kate said, cutting her off, "do you want our money or not?"

Kate knew she had said the right thing when she saw the woman's nostrils flare.

"For the night or the week?"

Kate mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Just for a night."

Kate dug into her pocket and picked out the fare for the night, handing it over to the other woman on the other side of the table.

"It'll be 2 more because you'll be here all day."

Kate rolled her eyes but fished out the money, just wanting to get up to their room as quickly as possible. The dark-haired woman counted it twice before unlocking a box with a key around her neck, putting the money safely inside before retrieving a key from another locked box. She handed it over to Kate.

"Go up those stairs," she said, tilting her head towards them, "It's the second room on your right. Water spigot's out back if you want to bathe. Buckets are in your rooms. If you need anything, I'm Paula."

Kate gave the woman a terse nod, grabbing Rick's hand and leading them over towards the stairwell.

Kate led them up the stairs as quickly as her legs could carry her, leading them up the door to their room. It took her three attempts to open the door, only finally getting it open when Rick wrapped his hand around hers and turned the key in the lock.

Rick opened the door for her and ushered her inside, immediately taking in the small room, the small metal tub in the corner next to the small table, the buckets stored snugly underneath. There was a small mirror on the wall above the table, and all of this was next to the small bed.

Even if they were married, he didn't think the two of them would fit.

It was fine. He would sleep on the floor. It's not like that was a new experience.

He felt her slip around him, moving further into the room.

Rick watched as Kate moved over towards the bed, immediately lying down on the edge of it. He watched as she curled up onto her side and closed her eyes.

Oh. _Oh._

She was tired.

He had no control of his mouth.

"So your magical tea energy finally ran out?"

"It's not magic," she mumbled into her pillow, her eyes still closed.

He took her in for a moment, shaking his head at her. No wonder she had been so adamant about staying here. If they had to walk any farther he probably would've ended up carrying her to the next inn in his arms.

Hm… perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing.

"Aren't you tired?" she said, her words running together.

He shrugged his shoulders and then realized that she couldn't see him.

"I'll just take a nap on the floor."

"Don't make me hit you," she growled.

He blanched for a moment, unsure of what she meant.

"I won't bite," she continued.

His reaction was automatic and he had to fight the urge to slap his hand across his mouth.

"Even if I ask you to?"

He shook his head. He couldn't do it. He couldn't climb into bed and sleep with her, even if it was completely innocent. If he climbed onto that bed, he wasn't sure he could control himself. Sure, he had kissed other women before, even gone a little bit farther before… but this was completely different.

She was… Kate. Katherine. Princess. She was… different.

"I'll be perfectly comfortable on the floor."

He heard Kate sigh, watching her roll onto her back before lifting herself up off the mattress. She stood up and walked a few steps before lying down on the floor, curling up onto her side again.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"It's my fault we're in a room with one bed," she murmured, "if anyone's on the floor, it's me."

"Don't be absurd," he said, "take the bed."

"I'm perfectly comfortable on the floor," Kate said, using his own words against him.

He groaned. She was being difficult. He was trying to protect her and she was being stubborn. He couldn't let her sleep on the floor, not when she was so clearly exhausted.

He moved over towards where she was lying, leaning over and scooping her up off the floor. Her hands immediately clenched around the fabric of his shirt.

He walked her over towards the bed, leaning down slowly and dropping her back onto the mattress. He went to stand up, but her fists in his shirt made it impossible.

"Kate…" he said, "… let go."

"No."

He sighed, moving his hands to unclench her fingers around his shirt.

"Rick," she said, "I'll feel awful if you sleep on the floor knowing that I put us in this position. I'm sorry, this was so selfish of me…"

He cut her off, hating to see her get so worked up, his voice hesitant, "You… really don't mind?"

She pulled him down on the bed, scooting over so he could fit on it as well. When he was situated, she curled up into him, her body flush against his side, her cheek pressed against the juncture of his shoulder and chest. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, effectively hugging her against him (to make sure she didn't fall off of the edge of the bed. Obviously).

He felt her smile against his chest and he realized what had just happened.

"Oh, you're evil."

He just felt her smile grow.

"It shouldn't be so hard to get my husband into bed," Kate mumbled against his chest.

Rick bit back a laugh, trying not to disturb her.

He felt her exhale, her breath hot even through his shirt.

"Sweet dreams, Rick."

Oh, he had no doubt they would be.


	11. Chapter 11

For everyone asking, my exams went well. _Really _well. Thank you for all the encouragement.

* * *

><p>They continued on in the same way for nearly three weeks.<p>

The two of them would travel by night along the main roads to the next closest town. Once there, they'd find the cheapest inn and pay for a day. They'd sleep for a few hours (normally in separate beds despite all of Rick's hopes), before getting up, heading into town just before everything closed down and picking up all the essentials they would need to make it to the next town. Then, right after sunset, they would gather up their few belongings and keep moving. They only stayed in a couple cities for more than a few days, and that was only when their feet were so blistered and their muscles so tired that they needed the time to recuperate, but as soon as they were ready, they were off again.

Rick and Kate had gotten much closer over the course of the month. He knew what to do to make her smile and she knew how to make him laugh. He knew how she took her tea (which was a very rare treat) and she knew that he preferred apples to pears and biscuits to slices of bread. They knew how to tell when the other was tired and when they needed to rest. They could tell just by each other's steps what kind of mood they were in that day.

They had started opening up to each other. Kate told stories about what it was like growing up in the castle and Rick told stories of what it was like growing up as a Castle. They didn't fear judgment in the other. They trusted each other. Kate told Rick of her fears and Rick told Kate of his dreams and they teased each other incessantly, but they weren't tired of each other.

On the contrary, every single thing she said, and every little thing he did just made them fall more in love with each other.

The timing still just wasn't right, not with the circumstances, but it was there. Rick was sure that she could see it seeping out of his shoes and leaving a trail of it as he walked.

They had ended up in Perlmutter, a town located just a few miles away from the border of the 4th in Beckett. It was the first time they had actually been back in Beckett since they had fled from the castle.

Rick could tell that Kate was getting anxious. Over the border, they hadn't heard any news of what had been happening back home (_her_ home, he reminded himself). He was hoping that this would be an opportunity to get some more information.

He had been trying his hardest, but he couldn't keep her distracted for very long. Even with all their traveling, he knew that Beckett was the only thing on her mind.

They had never had to perform again together, but sometimes when Rick would wander into town alone he'd recite some of his own poetry for a little extra money.

He had gone out and (despite her wishes) bought her some luxuries that he thought might be of some comfort to her. He bought her a new dress, the old one torn and ragged from their long foot journeys, covered in stains that would not come out no matter how much she scrubbed it on the rare occasion they got to do laundry. He bought her a brush after he saw her try to comb through the knots with her fingers, a new pair of sturdier boots when her slippers got a hole in the toe. He even splurged and bought her sweets the few days she was feeling particularly irritable, but the way her eyes shined as he handed them to her was worth all the tongue lashings in the world.

Because she did yell at him every time he did it.

She would argue that she didn't need anything that he bought her, that he was just wasting money that they could be saving. That he was being careless when they didn't need to be.

But her eyes! Her eyes told him just how much he was helping.

But Kate had made her own purchases. Much more practical purchases.

She had bought herself a knife, which she kept strapped around her ankle at all times.

There had been a guard at home, an older gentleman by the name of Michael Royce. When she was a teenager, she had gotten grabbed in the middle of the street, and Michael had protected her. The incident had shaken her though, and she knew that she wanted to learn how to defend herself.

While the other guards scoffed, claiming that she was trying to do their jobs for them, Michael had taught her. He had taught her where to hit on an enemy to cause the most damage and how to get out of some of the strongest holds. He had taught her how to handle a knife. They trained nearly every day until Kate was almost completely capable of taking _him_ down. He became one of her most trusted companions in the castle and she came to rely on him. She looked forward to their time spent together more than anything else.

Then one day, she had gone to the field where they trained and he never showed up.

She asked her father if he had heard from him, and King James informed her that he had been promoted, and he had left that morning to go fulfill his duties as a new Sergeant.

Kate had to fight back the tears.

But that's not the point.

The point was that Kate could defend them if need be.

She had also managed to pick up a few canteens, which was truly a wonderful investment, a large bag to hold all of their things, and a needle and some thread to patch up their clothes when they needed to be mended.

See? Practical.

The two of them were equally exhausted as they walked into Perlmutter just as the sun began to rise.

Nobody was milling about the streets as the two of them expected, so they wandered the streets until they saw the first sign for an inn.

As soon as they walked inside, Kate had a bad feeling about this place. The air smelled of smoke and the lingering scent of alcohol that made Kate cringe. Rick led her forward however, clearly deciding that they needed to stay and get some rest, to which Kate had no argument. They walked up to the counter (which looked suspiciously like a bar) and leaned over it.

"Hello?" Rick called, "Is there anybody here?"

They heard a crash come from the wall behind the bar, followed by a woman giggling. A moment later, a buxom redhead walked out towards them, her hair falling wildly out of the bun on her head, her dress askew.

The woman looked Rick up and down before doing the same to Kate, a predatory smile on her face. She leaned over the counter towards Rick.

"What can I do for you?"

Rick could smell the alcohol on her breath and he tried not to back away from her.

Instead, he smiled.

"We need a room, ma'am."

The woman giggled, smiling at Rick.

"Is that all you need?"

Rick nodded, "Yes…" he paused for a moment, looking at Kate before making a decision, "Just one room."

He hoped that would be enough to deter her.

The woman pursed her lips and looked like she was about to object, but Rick placed the money down on the table.

"One day," he said.

The woman took the money off of the counter, counting it twice before shoving it down the bodice of her dress. She reached underneath the counter and grabbed a key, handing it over to him, making sure that she ran her fingers over his skin. He tried not to retract his hand.

"Your names?" the woman said, holding a pen between her fingers, her hand hovering over the ledger.

"Jameson and Nicole Rodgers," he said.

He watched as the woman wrote it down quickly before she looked back up at him.

"You're the fourth room on your left on the second floor." She paused again, looking Rick up and down once more, licking her lips, "If you need anything… _Anything_ at all," she stressed, "I'm Meredith."

* * *

><p>When Rick woke up, Kate wasn't there. He looked over and found a little piece of scrap paper on the bed where she had been. She had written on it, told him that he looked so tired that he could use the extra sleep, so she would go into town for them.<p>

Also, he smelled. He should probably bathe.

He chuckled at the note, folding it up and putting it in his pocket before taking her advice.

He quickly cleaned himself off with the freezing bucket of water that had been provided, wiping his arms clean of dirt and bringing cups of water up to his face, the stubble of the beard he didn't want to grow in scraping his palms.

Not knowing when Kate was going to come back, he quickly began to get all of their things together so they would be able to leave soon after she got back. They had decided before they fell asleep that they were going to try their luck and move a little closer towards the capital, hoping to hear something along the way of what had happened, since they still hadn't had any luck.

As he got their things together, he started reciting.

He missed it. He missed the rush that came with performing in front of a large crowd, the power he felt having the crowd hang on his every word. The few times he did it on his own were just teasers. What he really missed, was doing it with her. She was amazing. She kept him on his toes in a way that no one else had ever been able to do.

He hadn't gotten a chance to speak in a while, but that didn't mean he hadn't been writing. After all, he had never had such wonderful inspiration.

She would kill him if she heard him say it, but he had found his muse.

He let the words roll off of his lips as he moved around the small room.

"Dost thou love me the way I love you? If you do then may I die a happy man. I do not wish anything more in the world than to live a life with you. A future without your hand in mine is future I don't want to ever face; a battle I'm destined to lose. You are everything, my sweet. My world can be defined by the feel of your skin against mine and the sound of the heart in your chest. I love you, my darling, like the sunset loves the night sky. To fade into you would be the most divine way to lose myself. To lose myself in love. To lose myself in you. I can think of nothing better -"

"So you're a poet."

Rick startled, turning and looking quickly towards the voice.

"How did you get in here?" Rick questioned, the confusion clear in his voice.

Meredith held up a key, "Two copies," she said.

"Get out," Rick demanded, not caring if she was King James himself.

She took another stumbling step towards him. He backed away.

"This is completely inappropriate," Rick said.

"I don't care," Meredith teased.

Rick had sworn to himself that he would never hit a woman.

But he had to clench his fists against his sides.

"Lady Meredith…" he started.

"I'm no lady."

"… I'm married…"

"I'm not."

"…I love my wife…"

"I don't care."

"… Get out!"

Rick felt his shoulders bump into the wall behind him and he clenched his jaw, realizing his mistake in backing himself into a corner.

Meredith moved until she was standing right in front of him.

"Oh come on," Meredith said, "don't you want to put that mouth to other uses?"

Rick opened his mouth to refuse her again when her lips came crashing down onto his.

He froze, his mouth unresponsive against hers, eyes wide. He lifted his hands up, preparing to push the woman off of him when he heard the door open. Then he heard her voice.

"Oh!" he heard Kate gasp.

Kate froze at the entrance of the room. She bit her lip before looking at the two of them, Meredith with her red hair falling wildly around her bare shoulders, her dress falling off her chest, her hands wrapped around Rick's neck. Kate looked at Rick, who was looking at her with wide eyes.

"Oh," she whispered again, her voice embarrassingly soft, "I'm sorry."

"Nicole…" he called out to her.

Somehow the use of her pseudo-name set her off. She shook her head furiously, biting the inside of her lip before turning around and leaving the room quickly, letting all of her purchases fall out of her arms and onto the floor. She had made it down the stairs and out onto the streets before he caught up with her.

He grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop walking, "That wasn't what it looked like."

Kate rolled her eyes, frustrated at the moisture that formed there.

"Of course it wasn't, _Jameson_."

She pulled her arm free of his grasp and continued walking forward, no destination in mind.

She can't believe she thought he was any different. All this time she spent falling in love with someone who wanted the challenge. How stupid of her to think that all his words meant something.

He was a man. She should have known what he wanted all along.

She had just been stupid enough to think that what he had wanted all along was her, all of her.

"Hey wait a minute," he said coming to stand in front of her his hands on her shoulders to stop her, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"None of this is what it looked like. This is all just a big game, isn't it? A game that I didn't know was being played until I caught you kissing someone else."

"What are you talking about?" he said, clearly not following her train of thought, "I wasn't kissing her!"

"Stop lying! I saw you! And you know what? You can kiss whoever you want. Hell, you can be with whoever you want. Don't worry about me anymore. Stay -"

"Will you stop it?" He nearly screamed, cutting her off, "I want to kiss _you_. I want to be with _you_. The only thing I want is _you_. If you stopped being so damn stubborn, you would be able to see that."

She shook her head at him, fighting back the tears. She would not cry over this… traveling poet. "You're just like everyone else."

She pulled away from him and began walking away from him again. A tear spilled over the brim of her eyelashes and she turned her head to the side, furiously wiping it away. She looked at the wall as her eyes came back into focus, and she froze.

She felt the color drain from her face as she stared at the display on the wall.

"Kate!" he said softly, putting his hand on her arm, trying to get her attention, "Please, just listen to me…"

When she didn't respond, he began to worry. He had never seen anyone go from furious to shell-shocked so quickly.

"Kate?" he mumbled.

She still didn't respond, so he turned to see what she was staring at. His eyes quickly found what she was looking at, and he swallowed loudly.

The stone wall was plastered with "Wanted" signs. Most of them were old and faded (this village was largely unvisited) but there were two, front and center, which looked like they had been printed only a few weeks ago.

And they had their faces on them.

"I don't understand…" Kate said, her brow furrowing, "… we haven't done anything wrong."

Rick knew that. But he also knew the way of the streets in a way that Kate had not yet learned.

"Does it say a city?"

He watched Kate's eyes scan over the poster in front of her quickly, looking for where they were wanted.

"It says Beckett," Rick swallowed hard, fearing that.

Slowly the pieces started falling into place. If they were wanted in Beckett, that means…

_No_. Oh god, no. Please, _no_.

Kate continued, her voice coming out quickly, "Rick, my father would never let this happen. I told him what was going on… He'll stop this. I know he will. If we go back he'll tell us what's going on. He'll fix this –"

Rick cut her off, grabbing her arm, "Kate, we can't go back. We have to get out of here. _Now_."

He made a move to pull her away from the wall, he heard her let out a scream of surprise. Suddenly her arm was no longer under his hand. He spun around quickly, watching as a man forced her hands behind her back, another one holding his sword out to keep her from making any move to escape.

"Hey!" Rick yelled. He only managed to take a step towards her before he felt himself being shoved face first against the wall. His head smacked against the stone wall and he groaned, feeling his arms being ripped out behind him. He heard Kate call out to him as he was pulled from the wall, his head spinning.

"Let us go!" Kate was saying, "We've done nothing wrong!"

The soldiers yanked the two of them so they were standing straight-backed, side by side, holding their chained hands tight behind their back. Two other guards were on each side, swords pointed towards their chests, daring them to move.

The two looked at each other, panic clear in Kate's face and Rick's eyes.

"Well, if it isn't Princess Katherine of Beckett…" Rick watched as a man, taller than himself (which was a feat, truly) walked towards them. Dressed in shiny new armor, the emblem of the King emblazoned on the front, his dark hair slicked back across his scalp, and a dressage sword sparkling on his hip, he was a sight to behold, "…Oh, and the bastard Richard Castle."

Kate looked up, recognizing the voice, "Lieutenant Karnacki! What –"

The sickening sound of the crunch of Karnacki's hand guards against her cheek made Rick's stomach churn. He fought against the men holding him until one of the guards holding him pressed his sword against his neck. It killed him, but he settled on looking over at her.

Her head was hanging low to the side, but she never cried out. Not a sound escaped from her lips, no whimper or cry of pain, no demand for an explanation.

"You do not speak," Karnacki said in a low voice, readjusting his armor, "until you are spoken to, wench."

Rick watched as her shoulders tensed, before she squared her body and lifted her face back to look the Lieutenant in the eye. She lifted her chin and clenched her jaw, the already bruising mark on the side of her face prominent.

Rick felt his jaw slacken slightly before he remembered where he was and clenched it again out of anger.

But even bruising, she looked beautiful. And when she stood like that, proud in front of the man who put his hands on her when he had no right she looked… well, she looked like a queen.

"Caught looking at your own Wanted poster," the Lieutenant said, moving over to stand directly in front of Kate. Rick watched as he lifted a hand to her cheek, running his fingers over the bruise there but she didn't flinch, "Did you really think I wouldn't catch you?"

Rick saw Kate open her mouth to respond. He quickly cut her off, not wanting this Lieutenant to do anything else to her.

"Well, seeing as we didn't know we were wanted, I think I speak for both of us when I say, no, we didn't think you would catch us."

He watched the smirk finally fall off of that jackass's face, and felt his stomach unclench as he removed himself away from Kate, his hand falling away from her cheek. Lieutenant Karnacki moved to stand in front of them. He cleared his throat, then proclaimed loudly enough so the small crowd that had formed around them could hear.

"Princess Katherine of Beckett and Richard Castle, you are under arrest... for the murder of the King."

* * *

><p>I have a plan.<br>Sort of.  
>(It seems I can't write a story without killing someone off)<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

It had been five hours. Five hours since they found out they were wanted criminals. Five hours since she had been hit across the face. Five hours since they had been arrested. Five hours since they had been thrown into the dungeon of the small building that served as a military command base in the town.

Five hours since she had spoken to him.

They sat on the opposite sides of the holding cell, their hands chained behind their backs. Rick hadn't taken his eyes of Kate, looking for some sign that she was there, but he couldn't find one. She was nearly catatonic as she stood staring blankly at the floor by her feet, avoiding his gaze at all cost. He called out to her multiple times, trying to get any sort of reaction out of her, any hint of recognition that would tell him that she was holding on, but every time he said her name she only flinched away in response.

It killed him inside, but he understood.

After all, this was his fault.

He had been the one that had convinced her to leave her home. She had been worried about her father and he had ignored all of her worries. Now the King was dead, her _father_ was dead, and she was being blamed for it.

He had been so stupid. Running was the worst thing he could have done in that situation. He had effectively left them with the perfect scapegoats. By running, they had the perfect people to blame for the King's death, especially since they planned to kill one of them anyway. When they saw that Kate was gone, they simply changed their plan some. Now they had both Rick and Kate pegged as murderers, now they just got the added satisfaction of humiliating the Princess, the woman they were bound by law to protect at all costs, by public execution.

The sound of drunken laughter erupted in the room on the opposite side of the bars, and both Rick and Kate flinched at the sound. As soon as they had quite literally thrown them into the cell and locked them inside, they had immediately opened a bottle of wine. That was five hours ago. They were now on their fourth shared bottle, and the five men at the table were clearly feeling the effects. It wouldn't be long now until they called it a night and Rick would be able to work out a way to get them out of here.

He wasn't going to let her down again.

He tried calling out to Kate again as the laughter from the other room calmed down slightly.

"Kate?" he said softly, his voice carrying across the room.

She just closed her eyes.

He sighed, his heart breaking in his chest but he forced himself to ignore it. He could grovel and beg for forgiveness and tell her over and over again just how much he loves her later. First, he had to get them out of here. He had made a promise to himself when he had gotten her to leave home that night that seemed like lifetimes ago that he would keep her safe.

No matter what the cost may be.

* * *

><p>Two hours later and he still hadn't come up with a plan. The men at the table, soldiers that Rick believed were named Joshua, Thomas, an older gentleman named Prescott and another man named Damien, along with Lieutenant Karnacki had finally begun to stagger up towards their bedrooms, their steps heavy and their laughter loud.<p>

They had to pass by the holding cell that Kate and Rick were in. He watched as two of the men, he believed they were Joshua and Thomas, smirk at Kate before spitting at her through the bars. Kate didn't even flinch.

"I guess we got lucky," Thomas said to Joshua, his words slurring together.

"Yeah," Joshua agreed, swaying slightly, "she just would have killed us, too."

Rick clenched his chained hands into fists, trying to keep himself from getting in any more trouble. His wrists were raw from the shackles that had been rubbing his wrists as he tried to figure out a way to get them out of here.

Karnacki looked in at the two of them, their cell only lit by the lanterns hanging in the corridor outside. Even in the dark, Rick could see his smirk.

"Alexander!" Karnacki called. He waited until a boy walked out from a door on the other side of the room.

He stood off to the side, his long arms hanging awkwardly down at his side. He couldn't have been older than the marrying age, and he still hadn't grown into his height.

The boy bowed his head, his shaggy brown hair falling over his forehead.

"Yes, sir?"

Karnacki puffed out his chest, "Bring these prisoners some of yesterday's bread. We want them to be in tip-top condition when we take them back to the capitol and hang them tomorrow evening."

The boy's eyes darted toward the cell and locked eyes with Rick. The boy nodded slightly before backing away into what Rick assumed was the kitchen.

Karnacki turned back to stare within the cell, his eyes locked on Kate's form.

"You're good, Princess…" Karnacki said, sneering her title, "… but I've always been better."

Karnacki backed away from the gate slightly, a dangerous smile on your face.

"Hope you make it a night to remember with your lover, Katherine. Don't worry… we won't watch."

All the men outside the gate laughed and Rick saw Kate's shoulders straighten while her jaw clenched.

It was the first time she had intentionally moved in 7 hours. And she was angry.

If the situation were less dire, he would have smiled. Maybe he would have laughed.

In a perfect world, he would have kissed her.

He settled for the way his heart sped up in his chest at the realization.

She was still here.

And she wasn't going down without a fight.

* * *

><p>The soldiers departed shortly after that, their footfalls heavy as they moved up the stairs, using the walls as balance.<p>

As soon as they were out of sight, Rick made a move to stand up, but quickly sat back down as he heard a door hit a wall. He looked toward the source and saw Alexander walking towards the two of them, but he looked different. He had put on a cloak, the long fabric dragging behind him. In his hand he held a tray with an old loaf of bread.

He didn't say anything as he came and slid the door open, slightly, sliding inside and putting the tray in the ground between them.

Rick saw that Kate was looking at him curiously, too.

The young boy locked eyes with Rick again, before glancing quickly back towards the bread on the tray.

Alexander stood up and turned away, closing the gate behind him with a clang. He watched as the boy, instead of returning to the kitchen, walked towards an inconspicuous door on the side. Alexander opened it up, exposing a set of stairs. He looked back at Rick before turning around and disappearing through the doorway, leaving it ajar.

Finally Rick understood.

He had given them a way out.

Rick had shifted once the sun had gone down; pulling his arms out from behind his back and under his legs so they rested on his lap. He lifted himself up off the ground onto his knees, moving towards the loaf of bread in the middle of them. Kate looked at him, trying to figure out what she had missed. She was on the opposite side of the wall. She had seen the boy walk away but she hadn't seen where he had gone.

Rick had.

He examined the loaf of bread, turning it over in his hands. With the dim light of the lanterns in the hall, Rick could just barely see the discrepancy in the crust of the bread. He ran a finger over it, feeling the rough edge underneath the pad of his finger. Using his shackled hands, Rick slowly began to rip his way through the stale bread, clenching his jaw as he did so in an attempt to keep quiet. He broke the bread into pieces and threw them back down on the tray. His fingers brushed against something cool and Rick's heart nearly beat out of his chest. He wrapped his fingers around it and pulled it out.

It was a key.

He held it up for Kate to see, a smile breaking out over his features.

She met his gaze for the first time since they had been arrested, shocked, her breath catching in her throat.

He immediately put the key into one of his shackles, twisting his wrists to the point of pain in order to get them off. He heard the satisfying click of the chain unlocking and he watched as it fell open onto his knees. He made quick work of the other manacle around his wrist. He set them quickly on the floor by his side and moved towards Kate. He put his hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her away from the wall so he could get to her hands behind her back. He unlocked the chains quickly, running his fingers over the tender skin of her wrist for only a minute before standing back up.

Rick offered her a hand to help her stand up, but she pushed herself up off the floor herself, rubbing her wrists with her own hands.

Again, any other situation and he would have smiled at her independence.

Now it just made his heart hurt.

But he didn't have time for that right now.

Right now he needed to get them out of there.

He moved over towards the door, praying that the key would also work to unlock the door.

However, when Rick braced his hand against the door so he could try to squeeze his arm through the bars, it gave way underneath his touch, sliding open with a quiet creak.

Alexander had let them out.

Rick threw up a silent prayer to the young man, because certainly nobody had ever been a better judge of character than the boy with the pale blue eyes. He made his way out of the cell, knowing that Kate was following behind him. He paused after only a moment, however, looking back at the cell and the key in his hands. Rick walked back in, picked up the tray of bread off of the ground. He walked back out of the cell, closing it behind him, using the key hanging on the hook to the side of the door to re-lock it. Then he carried the tray over towards the table where the men had been drinking earlier and placed it directly in the center on the table.

What? Like he was going to give up the opportunity to mess with them?

He turned away from the table and moved back towards his original goal. He approached the stairwell, sticking his head in slightly to see what was up ahead. He could only see a door at the very top of the steps, the stairwell itself being lit by a solitary candle next to the door. He was about to step past the doorway to climb the steep stairwell, when he felt Kate touch his arm.

He looked back at her and startled slightly at the sight of her with a dagger in her hand.

Where on Earth had she gotten that?

Before he could question it, she had slipped past him in the doorway and drew him inside behind her so she could shut the door, climbing up the staircase slowly, her knife drawn and her stance hyper-aware of everything that was going on around her.

Rick wasn't even sure she was breathing. He knew he wasn't.

He followed her up the stairs and she slowly crept along, making sure that not a single step creaked underneath the weight of the two of them.

He slipped on a step, the toe of his boot sliding over the old wood and hitting the step underneath it with a loud thud. He braced himself against the wall, and he didn't need to see her to feel her glare on his skin.

Maybe that's why she was moving so slowly. So she wouldn't fall down the stairs.

She's so smart.

She began moving up the stairs again and he followed, this time making sure that his feet were planted firmly on the ground before he moved up.

Finally, they reached the top of the stairs. Kate opened the door slowly, half-expecting someone to be waiting on the other side, but they were alone. She opened the door all the way.

The stairwell led to an open field. The town lay on the other side of the building. If they ran straight, especially under the cover of the moonless night, they would be invisible to everyone.

So that's what they did.

* * *

><p>(I'm losing interest)<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Rick and Kate ran until the sun came up, barely stopping to do anything. Rick was exhausted, his lungs aching from the cold night air, his muscles tired from the exertion.

They had not seen anyone while they were fleeing, and Rick had absolutely no idea where they were. They had no cloaks, no money, no map, nothing. All they had were the clothes on their back which were now covered in dirt and mud from their escape.

The two of them finally began to slow down as the sun began to rise over the horizon, though neither of them felt comfortable being out in the daylight, knowing that soon people would begin to realize that they were gone if they hadn't already.

Rick and Kate moved from the road they were running beside into the wooded area to the side, moving swiftly into the trees until they could no longer see the road. Rick thought he heard the faint sound of water so he took the lead, leading them between the trees until he stumbled across a small creek.

Kate had followed him numbly.

He was worried about her. He had never seen her so completely emotionless.

He looked back at her, keeping his voice soft.

"Kate, are you alright?"

Kate just nodded, her head turned to the side, giving him a full view of the bruise on the side of her face. His worry deepened.

"Will you let me look at your face?"

She shook her head.

Now, he was beginning to get frustrated.

Worried and frustrated was not a good combination for his mental state.

Kate hadn't spoken at all since they had gotten out of their cell. And she hadn't spoken to him for hours before that. He didn't know what was going on with her, if she was still upset about the news of her father, or angry at him but he didn't care. If they were going to survive this, they needed to talk. And they needed to do it now.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. She looked up at him and glared, trying to yank her arm out of his grasp but he held firm.

"Sit," he commanded, pulling her over toward a large log on the edge of the stream. He let go of her arm and they stood facing each other for a moment, jaws clenched. Rick thought for a moment that she was going to run, but something in his demeanor must have changed her mind. She sighed and sat down, never losing eye contact.

Rick didn't let his shoulders show the relief he felt. He moved over to her quickly, gently touching her uninjured cheek and tilting her head so he could see her injured cheek better.

It looked terrible. The side of her face from her ear to the apple of her cheek and her temple was a darkening purple in the center, the edges a pale and sickly green. She had small cuts on her cheekbone that had long since stopped bleeding from the juncture between Karnacki's hand guard and the decorative rings he had been wearing on his fingers.

"How does your head feel?"

Kate scoffed, trying to move her head away from him, "I'm not dying, Richard."

He clenched his teeth.

"I didn't ask if you were dying, _Katherine_, I asked how you felt."

Kate pursed her lips, before pulling her head from his hands. This time he let her. She glared at him.

"I feel like I just got slapped across the face by a man who used to carry me around on his shoulders when I was a little girl. I feel like I just got spit on by two men who claimed they loved me. I feel like my father is dead and I'm being blamed for it. And I feel…" she trailed off, frustrated by the tears that formed in the corner of her eyes. She pursed her lips, staring off into the trees, willing her vision to clear.

She heard Rick move away from her and she closed her eyes. A few moments later she felt a gentle hand on her chin, tilting her head to the side again. She felt something cool and wet press gently against her face over her bruise, his thumb applying the minimum amount of pressure as she wiped whatever was in his hand across her cheekbone.

He was cleaning her cuts on her face.

And suddenly all her anger towards him was gone.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before letting her face even out as he cleaned her up. He worked without speaking, and she didn't do anything except try to control her breathing.

She had been awful to him. Really, truly awful to him and she knew it. She was hurt by what she saw, but that was no reason to take it out on him. He had every reason to be angry at her, yet he was standing their cleaning the cuts on her face, his hand gentler than any other that had ever touched her.

Even after all she put him through, he was still here.

"They thought if they shattered thy world then they'd watch thee fall," his whispered words crept into her ears, "But they were wrong. Bruised and battered yet thou still stands tall…" she opened her eyes, letting his words caress her.

"Thy strength," he continued, his hand still attempting to clean her face, "is comparable only to the size of thy heart. Thy feelings are real and thy feelings are true because if thou didst not care…" Rick reached out and swiped at the moisture that had formed around her lashes, "… thou would not cry."

She clenched her eyes closed again, exhaling unsteadily. She lifted her hand from where it was lying in her lap up to her face. She covered his hand that was curled around her uninjured cheek, holding it there as she pressed her face against his skin.

She reopened her eyes and looked back at him.

He was looking down at her, a mixture of sorrow and sympathy and love that made her want to run away and hide.

She didn't deserve his sympathy.

And she surely didn't deserve his love.

He removed the wet cloth from her face (now that she could see it, she could see that he had ripped it from his shirt) and placed it on the log beside her. He reached his other hand out and ran his fingertips just barely over the angry, raised bump. He looked her directly in the eye.

"I'm so sorry, Kate."

She knew he wasn't talking about the bruise.

Kate looked down and finally felt a tear she had been fighting so strongly slide past the barrier of her eye lashes, falling down onto her cheek. She immediately lifted her hand to brush it away but Rick beat her to it, his thumb catching it before it fell past her chin.

She looked up at him again, hoping that he understood.

She was sorry, too.

* * *

><p>The two of them decided to rest for a little while to give their feet a chance to rest before continuing on with their run. Neither had any idea which direction they had run from Perlmutter, so neither had any idea where they had ended up now.<p>

When they did start moving again, however, they would stay in the woods, at least until dark. They thought it would be a good idea to try to find the source of their little creek, and just hope that whatever they found there didn't want to kill them as well.

Rick had joined Kate on the log, turning towards her so their knees were touching, Kate fiddling with Rick's fingers in her lap.

"She used her extra key to get into the room," Rick said quietly, "I was packing up all of our stuff so we could leave when I realized she was there…"

"Rick…" Kate tried to interrupt. He didn't owe her an explanation.

He continued anyway.

"I told her that I was married, but she didn't care. I backed myself into the corner and then she kissed me. I was just about to push her off when you walked in."

"You don't owe me any explanation, Rick. I'm not your wife."

Rick wrapped his fingers tighter around hers.

One step forward, two steps back.

What was she so afraid of?

"But…"

"I didn't ask."

He scoffed, unable to help himself, "Yes, you were not asking very loudly, Kate."

She pursed her lips, but didn't deny it.

"I know you better than you give me credit for."

She let that settle over the two of them before she spoke up, her voice just as quiet as his.

"Thomas asked me to marry him a week after we were introduced. I was so shocked that I immediately said no," she said, 'It was different with Joshua. He actually courted me... for almost a year. He told me he loved me, and I just realized… that he was never what I wanted. I was comfortable, but I wasn't happy. And if my father…" she paused slightly at the mention of him, "… if my father was going to let me marry whomever I wanted, then I better be happy."

"Why-"

"You were not asking very loudly," she said with a small smile.

Rick didn't return her smile.

"I'm so sorry, Kate. This is all my fault."

She was already shaking her head.

"Don't be stupid," she said, "It's not your fault. I didn't have to go with you…"

"But you did because I begged you to."

Kate couldn't stop the glare she shot at him, but she didn't let go of his fingers.

"I do not do _anything_ because someone tells me to do it. I'm a grown woman, Richard. I make my own decisions."

"And I would never wish for you to do anything you did not wish to do," he said hastily, "It's just…"

"If I didn't feel like it was the right decision, I wouldn't have done it," she said, cutting him off.

"You were scared."

"So were you," Kate said immediately, furrowing her brow at him. "I wrote the letter. I ran out in the middle of the night. I left…" Kate's eyes began to water, "… _I _left my father alone with no one to watch out for him."

Rick squeezed her hands, "There's no way you knew this was going to happen."

"You didn't know either," she said resolutely, "Stop trying to make this your fault."

"But –"

"Can we not talk about this right now?"

Rick paused for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, of course."

The two sat in silence again before Kate decided to break it.

"We should start moving soon."

Rick nodded, knowing she was right but not really wanting to. He wasn't sure how long it would be before the next friendly face they saw knew that they were wanted criminals. He knew they should move quickly to try and before it got to the point where they wouldn't have anyone to turn to.

They were playing a dangerous game right now.

Kate stood up, removing her hands from his before moving over to the creek.

She kneeled down and put her hands in the small but steady stream of water, cupping her hands and lifting it up towards her face. The cool water felt refreshing against the heat of the bruise on the side of her face, the puffiness of her eyes as she tried to hide the fact that she was so close to breaking down.

No was not the time to break down.

If anything, it was the time to prepare herself.

For the challenges. For the hardship.

For the fight for her country.

For her life.

For herself.

It was time to grow up.

Be the woman who her father expected her to be.

She owed him that much.

* * *

><p>(there's no way I could round this up in a chapter or two.<br>and there's no way I could leave you with a half-completed story.  
>And if I left this story unfinished, Kris and Erin would kill me.<br>So I'll keep working... it just might take a little longer.  
>Your support really does help.)<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

Kate and Rick stuck close to the river all day, walking mostly in silence as they moved farther away from the road. Kate didn't offer any type of conversation other than the occasional warning about an errant branch on the ground or a sudden drop along the path she had set off, and Rick guessed that she was trying to work something out in her mind.

He was right. Kate was lost in her thoughts, barely paying attention to where she was walking. She had absolutely no idea what was going on. How could her father be gone? It was childish to think, especially since she had lost her mother before she could even remember, but she had always just thought that he would be there. She thought that he was invincible, that she had plenty of time to spend with him.

Maybe that was the issue; perhaps she had wasted too much time.

Her father had warned her about this. He told her that they had no control over the things that happen to them, advised her that anything could happen when Providence came into play. He had cautioned her that he may not be around for much longer and that she had to prepare herself.

To be alone.

To be a Queen.

A Queen. That seemed like such a dramatic leap from Princess. Technically, this country they were running through was now hers. She would have advisors, travel to other nations to keep the peace. She was the only ruling Queen in all of the treaty's history who was born into power, not to mention being the youngest ruler to ever take the throne in all of Beckett.

That's a lot to live up to.

Well, that is, if they survive this ordeal at all.

She chanced a look back at Rick over the curve of her shoulder, watching as he stumbled over a branch that she hadn't warned him about. He didn't say anything though, didn't tease her or mock her or yell at her for letting him fall. He just stayed quiet, caught himself mid-stride and kept walking behind her, his gaze fixed on the ground in front of him, watching her feet and the steps she took.

Kate felt her heart clench in her chest.

She almost wished he would yell at her, try to distract her from the black hole in her mind that was threatening to consume her every thought. Her heart ached for the normalcy that his humor brought her, the way that his eyes crinkled at the corners when he truly smiled. She wanted him to be that beacon of hope that she had come to rely on this past month.

But she couldn't bring herself to ask.

And he would know, wouldn't he? He's spent nearly every waking minute with her for the past three weeks. He knew what made her tick, he knew when she was angry, and could tell by the twitch of her fingers when she was tired. He knew when she needed tea, could tell when she needed to sit down and kick off her shoes, even when she was craving sweets although she would never admit it.

Surely he would know when she needed him, right? He would know that she needed his voice and his smile and the tenderness in his eyes she had come to rely on, wouldn't he?

It didn't seem like he did.

Maybe… Well, maybe he didn't really know her as well as she thought.

* * *

><p>Rick was assuming it was the late afternoon when he finally convinced her to stop and take a break.<p>

"I'm hungry," Rick said as he plopped down on a rock by the edge of the riverbank.

Kate rolled her eyes, "Yeah, let me just bake you some bread."

Rick gave her a look, "I didn't mean-"

"Of course you didn't," Kate snapped, then sighed, squatting down on the slightly elevated ground next to the moving water, bringing a hand up to her face and using it to push some of her hair back behind her ear. She sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be-"

"No," Kate said, effectively interrupting him, "I'm sorry."

Kate stuck her hand into the river and swirled her finger around in the water. She couldn't look at him.

"Look, Rick," she said softly, "I don't… I don't really know… how… to talk to people. I've never been one to… open up or… share, but I-"

Rick heard a branch snap behind him and Kate immediately stopped talking. Rick would have groaned if half of his mind wasn't preoccupied with the fact that there was something behind him that could potentially kill him.

But Kate was already moving, reaching under her dress to where she had tied her dagger and standing up, her eyes focused on the woods behind him. She walked towards him, situating herself next to him as she stood ready for the attack.

Again, if there wasn't that whole thing about possibly being killed, Rick would have found it oddly attractive.

Kate prepared to take another step forward.

"Drop the dagger or we'll shoot," she heard a deep voice say behind her.

Kate froze, leaning down slowly and placing the dagger on the ground in front of her as she stood up slowly.

"Hands in the air," another voice said.

Kate and Rick both did as they asked.

When they both turned around, Kate was staring straight down the point of an arrow. A quick glance at Rick from the corner of her eye saw that he was in the same predicament.

The man who held Kate at arrow-point was looking at her with dark, narrowed eyes. His skin was darker than anyone she had ever seen in Beckett, as if he had spent every moment out in the sun. His hair was short and cut close to his head, his arms thick and broad as he pointed the arrow at her.

She chanced a look over at the man who had Rick in the same position.

Paler with perfectly quaffed hair, this man was the complete opposite of the man across from her. He was smaller and leaner, the bow looking much less natural in his hands than it did in that of his partner.

The two men looked at each other from the corner of their eyes and nodded.

"What are your names?"

Rick answered, his voice surprisingly strong.

"I'm Jameson, the woman you're currently pointing an arrow at is Nicole."

"What are you doing here?"

"We're lost," Kate said, "We were following the river, hoping it led to somewhere safe."

The two men looked at each other again, their jaws clenching.

They didn't believe them.

"Turn around slowly."

Again, they did as they were told.

"Hands behind your back," the pale man said.

Rick and Kate looked at each other for a moment before complying.

Only when their hands were behind their backs and they didn't look at though they would be trying anything smart did the men in front of them drop their arrows. They both reached towards their belts and pulled out a small loop of rope, and proceeded to wrap it around their wrists. When they were secure, the men pushed them along away from the river and into the woods.

* * *

><p>They found themselves sitting next to each other in a small crowded room, illuminated by only a few lanterns hanging on the wall and the little amount of daylight that managed to creep in through the crevices under the door. Their hands had been untied and separated, only to be tied separately onto the arms of their respective chairs.<p>

In front of them stood a relatively short man, with dark hair and a deadening stare that made Rick shift in his seat.

"Well, I see you've met Javier and Kevin," the short man said, his shoulders pushed back as he gestured towards the two archers standing off the side, "I guess it's only fair that you meet the rest of us."

The man nodded back towards the shadows, and Rick and Kate watched as a woman came out of the shadows. She had red hair, and kept her chin sharp and proud as the man introduced her.

"This is Jordan."

The woman didn't nod, only looked at them both before sliding back against the wall, clearly content with having the man take over this part of their program.

"I'm Marcus Fallon," the man said, looking both of them in the eyes before shaking his head, "And I know you're not Jameson and Nicole."

Kate raised an eyebrow, "And how would you know that?"

"Because my men heard you call him 'Rick' before they captured you. And I trust that Javier and Kevin are telling the truth."

Kate's eyebrow fell back into place, her mask overtaking her features once again.

"Now I know that your names aren't Nicole and Jameson," the man named Marcus said again, coming over and putting his hand on the arm of Kate's chair, looming over her, "So why don't you save us all some trouble… and you tell me who you really are."

Rick watched as Kate and Marcus stared at each other, neither flinching under the other's gaze, trying to size each other up.

He saw Kate's jaw clench and unclench so quickly that he almost didn't see it happen.

"I'm Katherine," she said, her voice low. She glanced in Rick's direction, "That's Richard."

"That doesn't give me much to work with, Katherine," Marcus said, leaning a little closer to her, "How about you give me your full names."

It wasn't a request.

Rick saw Kate's nostrils flare.

"That's Richard Castle," Kate said, never breaking eyes contact with Marcus, "And I'm Princess Katherine of Beckett."

He saw Marcus stand up, satisfied that she had cracked. Then he smirked at her.

"We know."

Kate kept her face blank, but Rick could feel his eyebrows shoot up towards his forehead.

"You know?" he asked, surprise and confusion clear in his voice, "How do you know?"

Marcus's smirk grew and as he walked away from them.

"The missing Princess and the troubadour? The whole land knows about you. Although…" he said, throwing a significant glance at Kate's face, "… they didn't tell us you were fighting each other along the way."

This time it was Rick's jaw that clenched in times with his fists against the arms of the chair. He would _never_ hit a woman, especially not Kate. The thought alone made his stomach roll.

Marcus raised an amused eyebrow.

"Or perhaps I'm mistaken. If your poet's reaction is anything to go by, someone else did this to you…" Marcus trailed off, moved back towards the two of them. "The bounty on your heads is extraordinary…" Marcus paused in front of them, "… You two must have really pissed somebody off."

Kate spoke up.

"If you're going to turn us in, do it now. Stop playing silly games."

Marcus smiled and Rick felt the knots in his stomach tighten.

"We're not going to turn you in, Princess…" Marcus leaned down and put his hands over top of Kate's wrists, "… We're running, too."

Kate felt the knots around her wrists loosen until they slipped away and fell down to the floor. Marcus nodded behind him a woman with red hair came forward, loosening the knots around Rick's wrist.

Both Kate and Rick brought up their hands, rubbing their red wrists as they looked around the room.

"Where are we?" Rick finally asked.

"Are you frightened?" Marcus said, raising an eyebrow, "Mr. Castle…" Marcus said, standing up straighter. He lifted his arms up and gestured around him, "… You're in Lockwood."


	15. Chapter 15

"Lockwood?" Kate said, still sitting down, "So we're just outside of the Capital."

Rick huffed. No wonder why he was so tired. They covered a lot of ground last night.

Marcus, however, shook his head. "We're in the Northernmost edge of Lockwood. We're still a good 50 miles from the Capital."

Kate nodded, her mental map telling her exactly where they were.

"So you're letting us go?" She said, nodding towards their untied wrists.

Marcus nodded before handing her the dagger that Kevin and Javier had taken from her. She took it from his hand and looked up at him.

"You're free to go if you like…"

Kate looked over at Rick and stood up.

"… Or you could stay with us."

Kate immediately declined.

"Oh no," she said, "We really need to keep moving and wouldn't want to impose."

Marcus shook his head.

"We don't have enough houses for you to have your own living space, but I know our resident doctor would be able to take care of your eye, Princess…" Marcus then shifted his gaze to Rick, "…. And the two seamstresses have been complaining that none of the men are ever available to help them do their heavy lifting. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to take you in."

Kate was shaking her head, "We couldn't possibly –"

"We'll stay," Rick said, cutting her off.

Rick was happy that looks couldn't kill. He turned towards her slowly.

"Kate," he said, his voice low, "we need to rest before we try to start moving again," he looked pointedly at her eye, "And I really want someone to look at that. They've offered us a place to stay. We don't have to do this all on our own."

Rick looked at her in the eye, making sure she saw that he wasn't going to back down from this before he turned back to look at Marcus.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

Marcus simply nodded.

Kate pursed her lips before looking at Marcus, a question bubbling off her lips before she could stop it.

"Why are you doing this?" Kate said.

Marcus took a moment and paused before her began to move towards the door.

"Because we all have the same goal," he said, putting his key in the door and unlocking it, opening the door to the outside, "We all want things to go back to normal as quickly as possible."

* * *

><p>Marcus led them through the center of the little village towards the places they would be staying. Rick looked around at the buildings, the newer patches of wood nailed onto the outside. There were maybe 10 or 12 little houses across the empty field, surrounded entirely by heavy woods. There was an open field a little way off, two horses tied onto long ropes attached to a tree in hopes of keeping them from running, a small rotting fence surrounding the perimeter.<p>

"Marcus," Rick finally asked, "How long have you been here?"

Marcus exhaled loudly.

"About a month and a half," he said, "These buildings were all here when we stumbled across it. We patched them up, and they work well enough."

"Now when you say 'we'," Kate said, "what do you mean? How many people are here?"

Marcus thought about it for only a moment, "13, counting the two of you."

"And did you all travel together?"

Marcus shook his head, nodding at a relatively young blonde woman who looked the two of them up and down before entering a nearby house, "No, we all stumbled upon this place separately. We all had the same idea."

Kate nodded, "Stick to the river."

Marcus nodded, "We all nearly killed each other when we first met, but we quickly realized we would be better off if we stuck together. Then we found this place a few days later, assigned houses, started looking for food, and we've been here ever since."

"And why are you all here?"

Marcus stopped walking, pausing in front of a house and looking between the two of them.

"We don't ask," Marcus said, his voice firm, "there are some things that are better off not being remembered. What matters is that we're here _now_. Living in the past will get us nowhere."

He moved over towards the front of the house, knocking on the door, waiting until he heard a "Come in!" before opening the door and gesturing for the two of them to enter.

The inside was just as unimpressive as the outside, but he could see that whoever lived inside was clearly trying to make the best of what she had. All the rooms were connected through archways, a wall with a doorway in it with a piece of cloth as the door leading to what he assumed was the washing area and the bedroom. The doorway they were standing in opened up to a small living area, with a table and what looked like a medical bag sitting on it, a small cot pushed up against the wall. Over to the side, there was a small kitchen area, and Rick could hear something like a pot coming down against wood before he heard the distinct sound of footsteps coming their way.

A woman with darker skin came out of the kitchen area, drying her hands off on the small apron that was tied around her waist. She was shorter than Kate, her dark brown hair pulled halfway up, the rest of it tumbling down past her shoulders in a straight line.

She smiled at Marcus, before she looked at the two of them, her brow furrowing quizzically.

"Hello," she said, albeit a bit apprehensively, "How can I help you?"

Marcus spoke up, "Good afternoon Doctor. This is Katherine and Richard. They just arrived here earlier this afternoon. I was wondering if you could possibly make some room for Katherine here. She has an injury that I'd like you to look at."

The doctor was already nodding.

"Of course," she said, smiling at Katherine, "It would be my pleasure."

Marcus nodded, "Thank you, Doctor Parish."

The woman rolled her eyes, looking at Kate and Rick.

"Please, call me Lanie."

Kate nodded.

"Thank you, Lanie."

Lanie smiled again before turning back towards the men.

"Now you two get out of here. I need some quality time with my patient."

Marcus nodded and gave each of them a half smile as he walked back towards the door that led back out onto the street. Rick, however, hesitated. He looked at her nervously, clearly not wanting to leave her alone. Lanie watched with a raised eyebrow while Marcus continued to hold the front door open and Kate really wanted to roll her eyes but found she couldn't.

She did sigh though, "I'll be fine, Rick."

He pursed his lips, his brow furrowing, his protective instincts as equally adorable as they were annoying.

"I'm a big girl, Rick," she said, moving over towards him and grabbing his hands lightly, "I can take care of myself."

She saw his eye flick quickly down to her cheek, so fast that she almost missed it, before his eyes met hers again.

"But if you need anything…"

"I know," she said, cutting him off with a small smile. "I know."

He looked at her directly in the eyes for a moment before he nodded, squeezing her hand infinitesimally tighter before he released her hand and walked out of the door that Marcus was holding open before Marcus followed, closing the door behind them with an echoing click.

Kate turned and looked at Lanie, who look at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow before she went to work.

Lanie pulled out a stool and put it next to a low lying table.

"Sit down and get comfortable so I can check you out. I would normally ask what's wrong… but I think I can take a pretty good guess."

Kate nodded and sat down on the stool, crossing her ankles and tilting her leg to the side while Lanie fluttered around her. She watched as Lanie moved over towards one of the window sills, picking up a stub of a candle and a box of matches, quickly lighting it before putting it down on the table next to her bag. Then Lanie stood right beside Kate, using one of her hands to tilt Kate's head to the side.

"Damn girl," Lanie whistled, finally getting the chance to look at her face closely, "What the hell happened to you?"

Kate just pursed her lips, and shook her head, turning her face up to Lanie.

"Just a misunderstanding," Kate said, not willing to go into details.

Lanie paused for a moment leaning in closer to Kate's face so she could get a better look at the cuts on her face.

"Fine, you don't want to talk about it. I understand. We'll talk about something else."

"Must we?" Kate said, clenching her eyes shut as Lanie ran her fingers over the cuts on her face.

"Yes, we must," Lanie said, her tone leaving no room for argument, "It's been nearly a month since I've had a stimulating conversation with a woman my own age. Now that you're here, I'm going to take advantage of it."

Kate barked out a laugh. She had a feeling she and Lanie were going to get along really well.

"Are there no other women here?" Kate asked.

Lanie shook her head, backing away from Kate momentarily to reach down into her bag for something.

"There are," Lanie said as she searched through her bag for something, "but they don't provide the most stimulating conversation. The seamstresses are nice, but they spend most of their time with each other."

"The seamstresses? That's where Marcus said Richard was staying."

This time Lanie laughed, her voice echoing through the tiny space.

"Oh boy, they are going to put him to work… But, speaking of Richard," Lanie said, pulling her hand out of her bag and stood back up to face Kate, "Why don't you tell me more about that ruggedly handsome man you strolled in here with?"

Kate looked at her for a moment and Lanie chuckled.

"Oh girl, don't worry about me. I'm not going to try and take that man away from you. Besides, I don't think he'd ever let you go with how nervous he was before to leave. I just want some gossip."

Kate rolled her eyes but smiled all the same, before the smile slid from her face.

"It's complicated," Kate said, her fingers twiddling in her lap.

Lanie scoffed, emptying something onto her fingers and rubbing them together.

"It didn't look complicated. It looked like whatever happened to you to shook him up so bad that he doesn't want to let you out of his sight. It looks like he loves you."

Kate shook her head, but Lanie quickly stopped the motion with her fingers to keep her still.

"We've been all the other has for nearly a month. He's just a little over-protective."

Lanie scoffed again, reaching a finger out and rubbing some sort of balm over her cuts with a steady finger.

"Mhm," she hummed, "You keep lying to yourself, Katherine and you're going to give yourself stomach pains."

Kate rolled her eyes, unable to stop the reaction.

"So tell me about the people here. What are they like?"

Lanie tilted her head to the side, "They're all very nice. We tend to keep to ourselves most of the time but we all get along alright. We all help each other out. We'll help you out. Other than that, everyone's dealing with their own things right now and we make it a point not to ask. I mainly talk to the seamstresses and occasionally Kevin and Javier, but that's mainly because the boys keep hurting themselves and the other two women are right around the block," Lanie felt the skin of Kate's forehead crinkle and she laughed, "Don't worry, honey, the seamstresses are a grandmother and her teenage granddaughter. You don't have any competition."

"Javier and Kevin?" Kate said, ignoring the bit about Rick's housemates, "They're the ones who brought us in."

Lanie nodded, and Kate saw her smile at their names out of the corner of her eye.

"Which one?" Kate asked knowingly.

"Which one what?" Lanie responded, playing dumb.

"Which one of those fine male specimens has caught the eye of the resident physician?"

"Kevin's with Jennifer," Lanie mumbled, her cheeks darkening slightly before she shook her head, glaring down at her, "if you're not willing to give me any details on your love life why should I give you mine?"

"Because I can tell that you're dying to talk about it."

Kate and Lanie caught each other's gaze before they both started laughing. Lanie wiped her fingers off on her apron, putting the tube of whatever ointment she had put on Kate's face before walking towards the kitchen and grabbing a rackety looking chair before pulling it back into the living room, placing it right in front of her and sitting down.

"So," Lanie said, clapping her hands together, "Where should I begin?"

* * *

><p>Rick exhaled loudly as he joined Marcus who was waiting on the street for him patiently.<p>

Marcus eyed him as Rick came to stand beside him.

"Are you alright?" Marcus asked.

Rick nodded, trying to calm his nerves.

He left Kate with a woman. A doctor. With Lanie. She wasn't going to hurt her. She wasn't going to disappear.

She was going to be fine.

"I'm fine," Rick said.

Marcus looked at him again for a moment before they started walking again.

"She's going to be alright," Marcus said, looking straight ahead, "Lanie's the best physician I've ever seen."

Rick nodded, taking a deep breath.

"I know," he exhaled, "It's just… it makes me anxious – being away from her," he clarified, and then added on softly, "She's all I have."

Marcus ignored the softness in his voice and continued to lead them through the empty street. When they approached a slightly larger hut Marcus knocked on the door. They heard the sound of footsteps moving towards the door before a pretty, young, redhead opened the door slightly.

"Oh," she said with a small smile, looking at Rick out of the corner of her eye, "Good afternoon, Mr. Marcus. What can I do for you?"

From within Rick heard a voice call out to them.

"Alexis, darling? Did you say Marcus? Let him in, I need someone to lift this pot of water up onto the fire."

The girl named Alexis sighed before opening up the door to them and gesturing for the two of them to come inside. Rick smiled at the girl and she gave a small smile back, closing the door behind them and moving towards the center of the hall.

"Miss Alexis," Marcus said, "Would you bring your grandmother in here?"

Alexis nodded before moving towards the kitchen, returning a moment later with an older woman in tow. She had the same red hair as Alexis, with some gray starting to streak through it, her face lined with smooth wrinkles.

She smiled at Marcus before meeting Rick's eyes, her smile faltering slightly as she looked back at Marcus.

"Marcus," the woman said warmly, "What can we do for you this afternoon?"

Marcus nodded, "Good afternoon, Ms. Martha," he gestured towards Rick, "This is Richard. He just arrived here in our humble village this afternoon, and he is in desperate need of a place to stay."

The woman, Martha, looked away from Marcus and looked Rick up and down.

"Are you strong?" she asked him.

"I would say so, ma'am."

Martha scoffed, "None of this ma'am business. Makes me feel old. Martha or Ms. Martha will do."

"Very well, Ms. Martha."

"Where are you from, Richard?"

"I don't know exactly. Somewhere around Weldon."

"So you're from the 12th?"

"I believe so, Ms. Martha."

"What do you do?"

"I was a troubadour."

"Oh!," Martha exclaimed clapping her hands together, "how lovely! I've always loved the arts. I wanted to be an actress when I was a little girl…" she looked back at Marcus, "Of course he can stay here. It's about time we've gotten some help around the place, what with the rest of you men playing with your swords and what not."

Marcus gave Martha a smile before he nodded, tipping his imaginary hat to the woman.

"Thank you, Ms. Martha. Now, I must take my leave to meet with Jordan about something. You know where to find me if you need anything."

Marcus turned back to Rick and held out a hand.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Castle."

With that, Marcus spun around on his heel and walked out of the house.

There was a moment of awkward silence when the door closed behind them but Martha quickly filled it.

"Alexis, darling, can you go and make up the cot for Richard to sleep on? Surely we can't have him sleeping on the floor."

Alexis nodded and walked out of the room down a small hallway.

Rick felt a hand on his arm and looked down to see Martha tugging him along.

"Now, you look awful," Martha said, not mincing any words, "Come help me put this kettle up over the fire and I'll fix you up something to eat before we draw you some water for a bath."

"Ms. Martha –" Rick started, but Martha cut him off.

"No," she said, waving a dramatic hand in the air, "no exceptions or refusals in this house."

He stopped walking for a moment and put his hand over hers on his arm. She looked up at him.

"I just wanted to thank you."

Martha smiled at him before reaching up with her free hand and patting his cheek.

"No problem, kiddo," she said with a smile, "Now you're going to come with me to the kitchen and explain to me why you've got that far-away look in your eyes."

Rick looked at her, startled.

"What do you mean?"

Martha just smiled at him, "I'm old enough to recognize the sign of a man whose heart is somewhere else. So tell me, is she beautiful?"

Rick looked at her and gave her a small smile.

"She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."


	16. Chapter 16

The next day when Kate woke up, it took her a moment to realize where she was. She sat up in her cot, arching her back against the air as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. A quick glance out of the window confirmed that the sun was just rising through the trees, and Kate knew she wouldn't fall back asleep. She couldn't hear anyone else moving around in the house, so she stood up quietly and made her way towards the kitchen. She stopped though, not wanting to overstep her boundaries in a place where she was a guest, so she instead found a piece of scrap paper and a pen with just a little bit of ink left in the bottle and scrawled out a note, just so the doctor wouldn't worry if she woke up and found Kate missing.

She opened the front door quietly, letting the cool morning air rush over her before she walked all the way outside, shutting the door behind her. The streets were still empty, not a single person milling about on the dirt road like she was so used to seeing. She decided to take a look around, since there was no one around to question it.

She took in the sight of all the houses, counting a total of 9 shutterless houses along the road, all of them falling apart. She heard the faint sound of metal hitting metal off to the side and looked over. She saw two figures fighting in the field, wielding swords and swinging them at each other. She walked over, intrigued and slightly concerned, not knowing what she would do as she got closer.

When she got closer, however, she realized that the two people weren't fighting. They were sparing.

It was Kevin and Javier, the men who had captured them in the woods yesterday, and they were practicing with their swords.

Kate approached them, standing by the edge of the field they were sparing in, watching their session.

They were good, but Kate kept watching them, planning what she would do in her head if she was out there. She saw their flaws when they were fighting. Javier tended to attack aggressively, throwing him off center when he lunged forward, and Kevin's footwork was sloppy; one punch or kick to the side and he would be on the ground.

She smirked, she could totally take them.

As if they felt her presence, the two men looked over at her and stopped practicing, letting their arms fall down to their sides.

"Can we help you, Miss?" Kevin called out to her.

Kate shook her head, walking closer towards them, her dress swirling around her ankles.

"No," Kate said airily, "I'm just wondering how I got myself captured by you two."

The two men looked at each other and puffed out their chests.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Javier said, pursing his lips.

Kate gave them a teasing smile.

"Oh, just that I think I could've fought you if I hadn't been so distracted."

Javier actually choked out a laugh, "You think you can take us?"

Kate shrugged, "It's been a while since I've handled a sword… but yes, I think I could."

Kevin joined in with Javier's laughter.

"We don't want to hurt you, Miss. Why don't you just go back to Miss Lanie's and try to get some sleep."

"What," Kate said, glaring, crossing her arms over her chest, "You're going to try and judge me before I get a chance to prove myself?"

Kevin and Javier looked at each other, their smiles falling off of their faces before Kevin shrugged and Javier nodded. Kevin handed his sword over to Kate.

"Fine," Javier said, shaking his shoulders out, "show us what you've got, Princess."

Kate weighed Kevin's sword in her hand, balancing it in her right and looking at it before spinning it around in her hand with a flick of her wrist and getting into a fighting stance.

She saw Javier's eyes widen slightly before he smiled getting into his own fighting stance. They touched swords together before pulling back slightly, moving to circle around each other.

Javier struck first, lunging out and slicing his sword through the air. Kate quickly blocked him, moving her feet out of the way and spinning away from him, her eyes never leaving his form. They danced around each other for another minute or two before he lunged at her again and she repeated the action, this time moving towards him and forcing him to step back. He wobbled a little bit before he regained his footing, moving back towards her. He sliced at her side and she felt his sword cut the fabric of her dress before she moved away, but she brought her sword back down behind her, letting out a little breath of relief as his sword fell from out of his hand and onto the ground. Then she spun around, swiping her foot around and knocking his legs out from underneath him.

There was a moment of silence after Javier hit the ground. A few seconds later though, Kevin started laughing, clapping his hands together off to the side.

Kate looked at his face, Javier looking at her in shock before smiling at her. Kate smiled back, reaching out and offering him her hand. Javier took it, and Kate pulled him up off the ground. When Kevin made his way back to them, Kate handed him back his sword with a smile.

She watched as Javier brushed himself off.

"Where did you learn to fight like that, Princess?"

Kate shrugged, trying to ignore the tug at her heart that always made itself present when she thought of Michael, "A guard at home a few years back…" she shook her head slightly, "Do you two spar every morning?"

Kevin nodded, "Every morning with the sunrise and again at sunset."

Kate nodded, "Would you mind if I joined you?"

Javier and Kevin looked at each other and smiled.

"Not at all," Kevin said, "Maybe you could teach us some of what you know."

Kate smiled, "Only if you'll do the same for me."

The boys nodded before they tucked their swords into their waistbands. Kevin held out his hand.

"I'm Kevin," he said smiling.

Kate took his hand and shook it, before she noticed Javier's outstretched hand as well. She let go of Kevin's hand and reached out to shake Javier's.

"And I'm Javier," he said, "We're sorry about what happened yesterday in the forest," he said sheepishly, letting go of her hand and running it over his head, "You just can't be too careful, you know?"

Kate nodded, holding up her hand. "No need to apologize, I understand. I'm Katherine."

The three looked at each other and they began to make their way off of the field, hearing the sound of people making their way into the streets and beginning their day.

"We'll need to get you a sword," Kevin said suddenly, "I think Marcus has an extra lying around somewhere."

"Yeah," Javier said, reaching out and plucking at the torn piece of her dress, "And some pants."

Kate laughed and swatted his hand away from her leg.

She had a feeling she was going to like these guys.

* * *

><p>Rick woke up to the sound of pots and pans being moved around. He blinked himself into consciousness, taking in his surroundings before making a move to get up. He arched his back as he stood up, cracking his stiff neck as he made his way over towards the kitchen.<p>

He saw Martha and Alexis working side by side in the kitchen, preparing what smelled like porridge in the small space. He hung back by the door, not wanting to startle them, and sighed, letting them know he was there before speaking.

"Good morning Ms. Martha, Miss Alexis."

Alexis turned around and gave him a small, unsure smile, "Good morning, Mr. Richard."

Martha spoke over her shoulder, "Good morning, Kiddo. Now go back to bed. We'll bring you something to eat when it's all done."

Rick shook his head, even though they couldn't see.

"No, I'm up now," he said, clapping his hands together, "What can I help with?"

Martha shook her head, "It's really not-"

"I insist."

Only then did Martha turn around and look at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes before giving him a small smile. She gestured towards a door with her eyes.

"If you go out that door back to the woods, there's a pile of firewood. Would you bring about half of it in and stack it by the back door?"

Rick nodded, "Of course."

He made his way into the woods and had to search for only a moment before he found the stack of wood. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

Taking 5 or 6 pieces at a time, he was going to have to take 4 or 5 trips to get half of the stack to the back of the house. He lifted some of the wood in his arms before moving back towards the house and laying it all on the ground near the door. He decided he would stack it all once he got it all in.

On the third trip out into the woods, he picked up the firewood and took it back to the back door. As he turned around, he saw someone looking at him from the forest. He startled slightly, staring at the man right back. The man was pretty far away, but Rick could tell he was looking at him. He could just barely make out the shape of a man, looking tall even from so far away, his light skin and dark blonde hair make him stand out against the shadow of the trees. He stared at him quizzically for a moment before he blinked. When he reopened his eyes, the man was gone.

Rick rubbed his eyes. He must have been seeing things. He'd had a long couple of days. Shaking it off, he worked quickly to bring in the rest of the wood, stacking it by the back door efficiently before moving back inside.

When he walked back inside, Martha was still standing by the counter but Alexis was sitting down at the small kitchen table, staring fixedly on some papers in front of her.

Rick moved over, and looked over the young woman's shoulder.

"What are you working on?" Rick asked quietly, looking down at the girl.

She looked up at him and opened her mouth to speak, but Martha beat her to it.

"Alexis is very ambitious, Mr. Richard. She's trying to teach herself how to read and write."

Alexis blushed slightly and she dropped her eyes back down to the page.

"Teach yourself?" Rick asked, not waiting for an answer, "I can teach you."

Alexis's eyes snapped back up to Rick's face, blue eyes meeting blue eyes.

"Really?" she asked, "You would teach me?"

Rick nodded, smiling as he saw a smile spread across her features, He gestured towards the stool next to her.

"May I?"

Alexis nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, please."

As he sat down, he shot a quick glance at Martha, who was looking at the two of them with a tender smile on her face.

Rick smiled back and winked at her before sitting back down next to Alexis.

"Now what have you figured out so far?"

* * *

><p>Rick and Alexis worked for the better part of the morning, sitting at the small table with papers strewn about them. Alexis had already figured out the basic sounds that were attached to each letter, but had yet to put them together.<p>

He was teaching her how to write out simple words phonetically – her name, Martha's name, his name – when a knock on the door interrupted them. Alexis put down the pen she was holding and stood up, smoothing out her skirt and walking over to answer the door.

"Oh!" she said as she opened it, "Kevin! Javier! Please, come in."

He vaguely registered that Kevin and Javier were the names of the people who had brought him here and sat up, his back a little straighter in his stool.

"Can I help you with anything?" he heard Alexis ask the two men.

"We were wondering if you or your grandmother could help us out with a little commission. We need a pair of pants for our friend here."

He heard Martha come bustling through the house from the opposite direction.

"Javier, Kevin, what a lovely surprise!" she said genuinely, then Rick heard her pause, "Oh, and who's this lovely lady?"

"I'm Katherine. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The minute he heard her voice he was up and off the stool he had been sitting on, moving through the kitchen. He stopped just before he reached the doorway, shook his head and started rubbing his hands together as if he was cleaning them off, trying to make his entrance seem as nonchalant as possible.

He smiled as soon as he saw her and he watched as her eyes smiled.

"Kate," he said, unable to keep the relief out of his voice.

"Hello, Rick," she said gently.

Rick tried to stay on his side of the room, he really did. Instead, he found his feet moving forward. He stopped a few feet in front of her. Reaching out, he gently lifted her hand in his and brought her knuckles to his lips, kissing them softly.

"How are you?" he said, letting her hand fall back down to her side.

Kate shot a quick glance to the side, cognizant of the four other people in the room looking at them curiously.

"The same as I was yesterday…" she said, that teasing smile he loved so much making its way across her lips, "… I'm alright, Rick."

He nodded.

"I hope you're not causing these ladies as much trouble as you've caused me," she teased.

He scoffed, "Me? Cause trouble? That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard."

Kate raised an eyebrow at him and pursed her lips at him incredulously.

Martha's eyes flickered between the two of them for a moment before she smiled, "He's been an absolute gentleman, my dear. You have nothing to worry about. Now, you said you needed a pair of trousers?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't 'ma'am' me," Martha scolded, "Call me Martha. This," she said, gesturing towards Alexis, "is my granddaughter Alexis."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kate said sincerely, "I've heard nothing but lovely things about you from Lanie."

Martha looked Kate up and down before speaking again.

"Well, she's going to need more than a pair of trousers if you expect her to take off her dress..." Rick saw Kate drop her head, fighting a smile as the two men beside her sputtered uncomfortably, "…Do you have boots?"

Kate nodded, lifting up the hem of her dress to show her the boots that were on her feet. The boots he had bought her when her slippers fell apart.

"Wonderful," Martha said, clapping her hands together, "Leave everything to us. Javier, Kevin, go wait outside. Now, Alexis, will you please measure Miss Katherine while I go and get the sewing basket?" Martha turned on her heel to move towards a room towards the back before she stopped. "Oh, Richard," she called back, "I think that I put it on the top shelf. Will you come and help me get it down?"

Richard nodded, throwing a meaningful smile towards Kate before he followed Martha into the small hallway.

When they were far enough out of earshot, Martha leaned into him.

"Is that her?" she whispered.

Rick smiled down at Martha, looking back at Kate out of the corner of her eye, smiling with Alexis as the girl took her measurements.

"Yeah," he said, his smile still lingering around the corner of his lips. "Yeah, that's her."

Martha reached out and pulled her sewing basket down from a low-lying shelf before handing it off to Rick. He took it as she moved around the room, grabbing some reams of fabric that were propped up against the wall.

"Richard, do me a favor."

"Yes, Ms. Martha?"

"Please kiss that girl while you're both young."

Martha walked out of the room, carrying the fabric in her arms back out into the hallway, making her way back towards Alexis and Kate.

He smiled before ducking back out of the room, carrying the basket back to Martha, mumbling under his breath.

"I'll do my best."


	17. Chapter 17

Kate laughed at something Alexis said and looked down fondly at the young redhead, who was looking up at her with a smile.

"Seriously," Alexis said still smiling, "He's been a perfect gentleman. He's even teaching me how to read."

"Is he?" Kate felt her grin change into something much more adoring than teasing without her consent, "He's a good man."

Alexis raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"What?" Kate asked as Alexis removed the measuring string from around her waist.

Alexis shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head innocently as she moved the string to Kate's hips.

"Nothing," she said softly, her eyes quickly darting towards where Rick and Martha had disappeared, "It's just that smile says you know just how good he is."

Kate felt her cheeks heat up at the nerve of the young seamstress, but she couldn't decide if she wanted to laugh at how similar she was to the girl at her age, immediately deny her accusation and let her know the truth, or let her mouth fell open in shock. She didn't get a chance to respond before Martha made her way into the room carrying some fabric.

"Alexis," Martha said, with a flourish, "Did you get all of Katherine's measurements?"

Alexis nodded and stood up straight.

"Yes, Gram. I did."

"Marvelous!" Martha exclaimed, laying the fabrics out on the table before picking one of the pieces up, holding it against the skin of her neck. "Oh, this color would look fabulous on you, darling. Richard? Don't you think this color looks beautiful on Katherine?"

She looked past Martha for the first time and saw Rick standing in the doorway, watching the scene with a soft look in his eyes.

"Ms. Martha," Rick said with an easy smile, moving over and placing Martha's sewing basket on the table by the fabrics. "That is a trick question. Katherine looks marvelous in any color."

Martha nodded, smiling at Rick before leaning down over the table, talking to her granddaughter.

"Can we go somewhere?" he said quietly, when Martha and Alexis were discussing which stitch they thought would be best for the blouse they were making Kate.

Kate thought, "I'm going to go back and see if Lanie needs anything. I kind of disappeared this morning. Tonight?"

Rick nodded, "I'll meet you in the square at dusk?"

Kate nodded back and opened her mouth to speak, but Martha cut her off.

"Okay, we have a plan," the older woman said, "Come back tomorrow morning and everything will be ready for you."

Kate nodded and smiled at the women.

"How much –"

"Oh no," Martha said, holding a hand up and shaking her head, "None of that. We're happy to do this for you."

"But –"

"No 'buts'" Martha said, cutting her off again, "now get your pretty little one out of here and back to the good doctor to take care of that nasty bruise," she finished off her sentence with a smile, "We'll see you in the morning, Katherine."

* * *

><p>She was waiting for him outside of the Doctor's house by the time he finally shows up. He's hustling to get to her, knowing that Kate likes to be on time for things.<p>

"I'm sorry," he says, huffing a little, trying to catch his breath but pretending that he wasn't, "I was working on lessons with Alexis. We lost track of time."

Her answering smile let him know that he was forgiven.

He smiled back and held out his arm to her, which she took gently, before he lead her past the row of houses he had just come by towards the clearing that she had been practicing in.

"So you're becoming friends with Kevin and Javier?" Rick asked.

Kate nodded and smiled at him, "Well, I had to beat them in sword fight to prove myself… but yes. They're good people. I think you would like them."

Rick hummed and Kate spoke again, squeezing his arm gently.

"How's life with the seamstresses?"

Rick smiled, "Interesting. You've met them. Ms. Martha likes to overstep her boundaries but is lovely and Miss Alexis is absolutely brilliant."

Kate's smile grew, and he cocked his head to the side.

"What is it?"

She tried to stifle her smile and looked away.

"Nothing," she said, "I just think it's really sweet... What you're doing with Alexis."

Rick shook his head, leading them towards a path that led out into the woods.

"I'm just trying to help out in any way I can. She's so smart, Kate. She taught herself which sounds correspond to which letter just by looking at the alphabet."

Kate nodded, "Impressive."

"She's already learned so much," Rick continued, his voice excited, "she can read simple sentences and write some basic words and we've only been working for a two days! In a week she'll be writing paragraphs. She's a prodigy!"

Kate laughed, his pride in the young woman he had just met making her heart swell.

He was a good man. A really good man.

They walked a little bit further down the path, before Kate spoke again.

"Where did you learn to read, Rick?"

He thought about it for a moment before he smiled fondly.

"The old bookmaker taught me how to read and write. Said it was important that I knew how to so I could check to see that all the pages were in the right order before I actually made a book."

"Did you like working for him?"

Rick nodded, "Of course. Montgomery was a good man. Took me in when no one else wanted me. I'll never be able to express how much I owe to him."

Rick paused for a moment before looking at her tenderly.

"Sometimes I think about what would have happened if it was different. If my mother hadn't died… If I would've stumbled upon the butcher in Weldon or the shoe maker before I found Montgomery," he nudged into her, "I probably never would have met you."

"Then you also probably wouldn't be in this mess," Kate said, dropping her gaze from him and frowning.

She felt him squeeze the hand on his arm, still walking.

"It's worth it," he said softly.

Rick kept walking forward but he felt a tug on his arm. He turned around to look at Kate who had stopped moving.

And before he could tell what was happening, her lips were on his.

He had dreamed of this moment since the first time he met her, his eyes going wide before he closed them and lost himself in the feel of her against his lips.

His dreams had nothing on the reality of kissing Kate. Her lips were supple against his, molding themselves to his so perfectly that it nearly took his breath away. She tasted like forever and Rick knew that he was ruined. Because this simple, little kiss? He would never be content with anything less than it for the rest of his life.

She lingered for only a few moments, not even enough time for him to properly kiss her back, before she pulled away. She met his gaze for only a moment before she looked away.

"I'm sorry," Kate stuttered out, "I… I didn't mean to do that."

Rick only stared at her shell-shocked, his brow furrowing.

Why was she apologizing?

She took a deep breath and pulled her arm quickly away from his before she wrapped it around herself.

"Goodnight, Richard," she said with a forced smile.

Then she turned and walked swiftly away from him, back towards where they came from.

He stood there for another minute before he realized what was happening and then he ran after her.

By the time he made it back to the village, she was already gone.

* * *

><p>They didn't see each other for nearly a week.<p>

Rick spent all of his time working for the two seamstresses, helping them with repairs around the house and doing the heavy lifting that neither of them were capable of doing. After, he devoted nearly all of his free time to helping Alexis with her lessons. She was determined, and was willing to work as hard as she needed to in order to get down all the basics. By the time they were finished for the night, they were usually working by candlelight.

He couldn't stop thinking about it, though. The kiss. The delicate pressure of Kate's lips against his.

It was always there in the back of his mind.

He wanted to do it again.

He had gone over to the Doctor's house to look for her, but every time she was out training or working with the other people in town and Lanie wasn't sure when she would be back.

He just didn't know what to do.

* * *

><p>Kate immersed herself completely in her training with Kevin and Javier, practicing in nearly every spare minute she had. When she wasn't with Lanie, helping her out with the few patients she got in the village, she was out in the field training with everything from swords and daggers to fists and arrows. She was working hard, and she could see her skills improving, her accuracy increasing, her body becoming stronger every day.<p>

It was exactly what she needed to happen.

And also a lovely distraction.

She still couldn't believe she kissed him.

He was just walking with her, sounding so sincere about the situation she had pulled him into and nobody, with the exception of possibly her father, had ever managed to sound so genuine in anything they had ever said to her and she couldn't stop herself.

But then he didn't say anything about it.

She thought he might've had something to say about it. Hell, she thought he may even pull her back and kiss her properly. But he just stood there frozen under her lips even as she pulled away and she couldn't read the expression in his eyes.

So she ran.

Clearly she had made him uncomfortable. Clearly he was just afraid of pushing her away because she was a princess/possible future queen and nobody ever turned them down without ending up in a prison or a grave, right?

She thought he wanted this.

She thought he would be happy about it.

But if he didn't want it? Then she wasn't going to put herself out there and risk getting her own heart broken.

Lord knows that her heart's taken enough of a beating as it is.

* * *

><p>He saw her as she was walking through the village with Lanie, wearing the pants and blouse Martha had made her that Alexis had dropped off at the Doctor's house as soon as they were ready, and he felt his heart skip a beat in his chest. He had been talking with Jordan, the red-headed woman who worked closely with Marcus but he stopped short at the sight of her, her hair pulled back away from her face, her body tall and lean in her new clothes.<p>

Was it possible for your heart to beat out of your chest? He thinks it's plausible.

He excused himself from Jordan before walking over towards the two women, catching up with them just as Kate laughs at something Lanie said.

He's missed that sound.

"Kate!" He calls out to her.

She froze as soon as he called out to her, but she stopped walking and turned to him all the same. Lanie raised an eyebrow at the two of them and Kate gave an almost imperceptible nod. Lanie pursed her lips, nodded her head to acknowledge Rick's presence and continued to walk down the street by herself.

"Hello, Rick," Kate said, too formally, struggling to keep her happiness at seeing him hidden.

_If he didn't want this, neither did she_.

"Hi," he said, relief coloring his tone, "how are you?"

She nodded, "I'm fine… How are you?"

He smiled, "I'm well, I'm well."

The stood there staring at each other for an awkward moment before he spoke again.

"Your cheek looks good," he said, his fingers reaching out and just ghosting over her cheekbones, "It's almost like it never even happened."

She heard his double meaning and raised her eyes up to his, staring at him unblinkingly.

He applied a little more pressure in his fingers and ran his fingertips down her face and back behind her ear, playing with a loose tendril of hair that had fallen out of her bun.

"Kate…" he whispered.

Kate shook her head, pulling away from him. He didn't let her though, moving with her.

"We need to talk about this."

"Talk about what Rick?"

He frowned at her, "You can't be serious."

Kate rolled her eyes, "Look Rick, I'm sorry."

"I'm not looking for an apology," he said quickly, "I'm just hoping for some sort of acknowledgement."

She felt her eyebrows shoot up towards her forehead. She _had_ acknowledged it. He was the one who had looked at her like she had grown another head.

"Well here it is: it happened." she made a move to walk away as she saw his face fall.

Maybe she was wrong. This didn't seem like a man who regretted what had happened. The look in his eyes said that he had been thinking about it just as much as she had.

But then why didn't he do anything then? Why didn't he come after her?

She needed to get away. She needed to sort all of this out on her own before she did something she regretted.

He blocked her as she stepped away from him, his hand reaching out and grabbing her arm.

"You can't just kiss me and pretend it didn't mean something," he said, incredulity clouding his tone. "Kate… I lo-"

"It was a mistake, Rick!" she blurted out, effectively cutting him off.

They both froze at her words and Rick immediately dropped his hand from her arm. Kate closed her eyes, swearing internally because that's exactly what she had been trying to avoid saying. The words that had just fallen out of her mouth without her consent.

That wasn't what she wanted to say.

"Rick, I… I didn't mean-"

"No," he said, shaking his head and back away from her, "I understand."

"Rick…" she said, her tone low. This time she followed him, following his steps as she tried to move away. She reached out and grabbed his hand. "It's just… the timing, Rick. I can't… Not right now."

That wasn't what she wanted to say either.

He gave her a sad smile, using his free hand to remove her hand from his. He let her hand drop down to the side before he backed away again, bowing slightly.

"Have a good day, Princess."

"Rick!" he heard her call out.

He didn't stop.


	18. Chapter 18

A few days later and Rick found himself watching Kate work with Ryan and Esposito with a bow and arrow, as miserable as ever.

He tried. He really did. He'd been trying to figure out how to not let it bother him, but it wasn't working.

_This is a mistake_.

Her words had been echoing through his mind since she spoke them.

It couldn't be a mistake. He loved her far too much for any of this to be a mistake.

If she didn't want him… he would learn to live with that eventually. He hoped. He wasn't sure he would ever be able to fall out of love with her. She was in his heart permanently, memories of her etched into his brain that he didn't think would ever fade.

But to say it was a mistake?

Nothing could be further from the truth.

He had tried to walk away when he saw her training, but he was transfixed at the sight of her. He didn't know if she had seen him, and frankly he didn't care. He just couldn't walk away from her. He couldn't -

"She's something else."

Rick didn't look away from the woman in front of him.

"Indeed she is, Marcus."

He saw the shorter man look at him from the corner of his eye.

"You know, we all thought you two were together when we brought you in."

Rick swallowed, still not taking his eyes off of Kate.

"Not for a lack of desire."

"So what's stopping you?"

"It's… complicated," Rick finally settled on. And it was.

Kate was changing. He had started to see it as soon as she heard that her father had been murdered. The light in her eyes was dimming.

"But you love her?"

Rick paused, watching as she chuckled with Kevin at the joke he just made at Javier's expense.

Of course he loved her. Even if she was changing, he knew that she was still there. He saw it whenever they were together. Her smiled seemed a little less forced, her eyes lit up just a little bit more. Her jokes had less of a bite to them.

At least… they _did_. Until she had made it abundantly clear that she didn't want him.

"Yes," Rick answered finally, "Yes, I do."

Marcus sighed, "Then I don't see what's so complicated about it."

Rick shook his head, opening his mouth to try and explain, but Marcus cut him off.

"My wife was killed with one of my daggers and I was blamed for it. Just like what happened with you and Katherine."

Rick paused and looked away from Kate for the first time since the conversation started.

"Is that why you're here?"

Marcus squared his shoulders, obviously not liking the direction of the conversation.

"I wasn't safe where I was any longer."

"Did you do it?"

"No!" Marcus nearly yelled, his face going red, "I would never –"

"Just like what happened with me and Katherine…" he murmured, looking back at Kate before turning sharply back to Marcus, "Marcus, how long ago did this happen?"

Marcus shrugged, his face still red, "A month or two back."

"And where?"

Marcus paused, "In the 10th… What are you –"

"The others, Marcus" Rick interrupted, "Why are they here?"

Marcus shrugged his shoulders, "We never asked. We just know they're all on the run."

Castle stood up straighter, and turned toward Marcus, speaking quickly.

"Marcus, call everyone together for a meeting. I think I know what's going on."

* * *

><p>They were back in the room where he and Kate had been brought in for their initial questioning.<p>

Sitting in near darkness, the only light coming from some lit lanterns, Rick stood at the head of the main table, Marcus flanking him on his right with others sitting in the rackety chairs surrounding it.

"I need everyone to tell me why you're here…" he paused for a moment, making eye contact with everyone in the room, "… I need you to tell me what you're running from."

Everyone looked around at each other from the corner of their eyes, but didn't speak up.

Kate stood back leaning against the wall, her leg kicked up to support her eyes focused on nothing but him, clearly trying to figure out what was going on in his mind.

He looked at her, begging for her to go along with him. No matter how she really felt about him she had to know that he was intelligent, that his ideas may have some validity.

He nearly sighed in relief when she spoke up.

"About a month ago my father, the King of the 12th, brought Rick to Beckett so I could hear him speak. About a week later we were walking through the palace when we heard my father's advisors plotting to kill my father and myself and then have Richard blamed for it. We left my father a note explaining what we heard and then we ran. Two weeks ago we were arrested in Permutter…" Kate paused, biting the inside of her lip for a moment before continuing, "… for the murder of the King. A kitchen boy got us out, and now here we are."

Rick scanned the sea of faces, hoping that someone would speak up.

"I was the head Security advisor for the 10th," Marcus said, "A month and a half ago my wife, the queen's favorite lady in waiting, was found stabbed in the Queen's chamber with one of my daggers in her back. The Queen found her and is now catatonic. I didn't do it, so I ran."

Jordan spoke up next, "I was technically a Countess, but my husband was the head of the Military Council in the 5th. He was killed in a stable fire around a month ago. They claimed I set it. They put a price on my head, so I ran."

Javier spoke up next, "I was a soldier in the 3rd. Three weeks ago my general got shot in the head with an arrow. I'm the best long distance archer they had so I got blamed, even though I wasn't even on the base at the time. My entire platoon turned on me, so I got out of there."

"I was the Military advisor for the Prince of the 1st," Kevin said, "My older brother was the head of Public Relations for the city and the King's right hand man. It was rumored that I would replace him when he died, because he was sickly, so when he showed up dead in his chambers… well, I think you know what happened."

Everyone in the room nodded before a female voice spoke up.

"I was the physician for the King's children in the 7th," Lanie said, "They were both smothered in their sleep three weeks ago. The other servants heard rumors that they were going to arrest me, and they got me out of there the next day. I ran into Javier on the road, and we ended up here."

Every person in the room eventually chimed in and gave their stories. Jennifer, who was surreptitiously trying to hold Kevin's hand underneath the table, was a tutor in the 2nd. Her student, the youngest nephew of the Queen, was hit over the back of her head with her textbook. Martha and Alexis were seamstresses in the 4th where a young Baroness was found with hundreds of sewing needles stabbed into her heart, ears, and eyes. Roseyln was a cook in the 8th where the body of a Viscountess was found in her kettle full of boiling water. There was a doctor named Carter from the 9th who specialized in mental illnesses. His patient, the King's illegitimate son, killed himself and Carter was blamed for lack of attention. There was an actress named Natalie who had been having an affair with the prince of the 6th. He was found dead in her bed with a dagger to the heart. And then there was Kevin, the carriage driver from the 11th, who was blamed with negligence when his carriage carrying the Queen's sister lost a wheel and fell off a cliff, but not before he himself jumped out of it.

Rick listened to all of their stories and the details surrounding them, his suspicions being confirmed.

"And what do all of these plots have in common?"

"They happened within the past two months," Kevin said.

"Attacks on the royal families," Javier said.

Kate froze, looking up at Rick, "The advisors."

Rick nodded.

"This has been planned." Rick gestured to a map sitting in front of him. "Every single nation that signed the treaty for peace has been attacked within the last two months, the royal family either as personal or indirect targets."

Marcus spoke up, "So they're trying to ruin the treaty."

Jordan shook her head, "If they were trying to end the treaty then why would they blame the crimes on people close to home? _Unexpected_ people close to home. A chef? An actor? Why us?"

"Because they knew we would fight back," Kate said, moving from her spot against the wall to stand closer to Rick.

"All of us here had a personal connection with the royal family of our nations in some way. The advisors knew that we wouldn't give up without a fight," Kate leaned her hands against the large table, "by framing us, they effectively destroyed the royal families trust…"

"… Which made it that much easier to plan a rebellion," Rick finished. "We played right into their game."

"But why now?" Jordan said, "They could have done this months ago… what do they have from trying to destroy us now?"

Javier spoke up, "And what are the chances that all of the nations decided to rebel at the same time?"

The room was silent for a moment before Rick spoke up.

"Because they aren't trying to destroy each nation one at a time."

Rick paused, but no one else cut in.

"When Kate and I overheard their plan, there was man who Kate didn't recognize as one of the twelfth's advisors. He said that when she and the king were gone, he would advocate and get power."

Kate finally caught onto what he was saying.

"You think this is one person."

Rick nodded.

"It's why it's taken the time to happen over two months…" Rick started.

"… because he's had to travel between the nations to set his plan into motion…" Kate finished.

"… He's trying to take out each royal family or make them unfit to rule…"

"… So the head advisor will gain control…"

"… And they'll hand it over to him."

"He's not trying to turn the nations against each other…"

"… he's trying to turn them into one…"

"… so he can control everything…"

"… and make his own nation…"

"Do you two practice this?" Kevin interrupted.

Kate and Rick finally looked away from each other to stare at the other people in the room who were watching them with wide eyes.

Kate pursed her lips and looked at the ground. Rick bit back a sigh.

Marcus finally spoke, "So say that what you're saying is true… that there is one man behind all of this…" Marcus looked between the two of them, "… where do you think he is now?"

Rick looked at Kate before he looked back at the map. He put his finger on the 12th.

"In Beckett," he said decisively, "he would plan to use his last stop as his place to rule from. The 12th is the most central, and the largest, of all the nations in the treaty."

Kevin spoke up. "So what do you think his next move is?"

Kate answered.

"To kill me."

Everyone looked at her in confusion.

"I'm the Princess," Kate explained, "Roderick could gain temporary control, but he wouldn't be able to abdicate to anyone else…"

"… because you're still alive and the rightful heir to the throne," Rick finished.

Kate nodded, "They thought they had me in Perlmutter but then we escaped. They'll just keep looking for us."

Martha sighed dramatically, "If they wanted to take control so badly why don't they just say you died? It makes no sense to waste time and money to keep looking for you when they could just say you've fallen."

A small smile twitched at the corner of Kate's mouth.

"Because they know I'll rise when they least expect it."

* * *

><p>(Anyone else trying to stay spoiler free? I am. I'm not on any of my general media sites until Monday.<br>This is serious.  
>In other news, I just wanted to say that I know I've been really sucky with updating this recently, and I'm sorry. On the plus side, I nearly have the entire thing outlined now, and if everything goes according to plan it should end up being either 28 or 29 chapters. Yay or having a plan!<p>

As always, your feedback is much appreciated.)


	19. Chapter 19

"So what?" she hears someone, she thinks it was Natalie, say, "how can they find you here in the middle of the woods?"

Roselyn spoke up next, "It would make sense that you would try to get back over the border. Why would you stay in twelfth when you know they're trying to kill you?"

"Regardless of what these people think the Princess's plan is" Marcus said, "It's important that we know this. Kate and Rick have already gotten away from them once. They're angry, and embarrassed. They will be scouring all over the country to look for her. All of our safety is at risk."

A lull came over the group.

"I'm going back," Kate said finally, looking at everyone in the room, "To Beckett. I'm going back to the capital."

"Absolutely not," Rick countered immediately, already shaking his head.

She looked at him, fire in her eyes, "And what makes you so sure?"

"They'll kill you, Kate," his voice almost pathetically quiet.

"They killed my father, Rick!" Kate nearly screamed, "This man, whoever he is, has murdered children. He tried to get _us_ killed. I can't just… run while that… that monster sleeps in my father's bed…" Her voice got dangerously low, "… You're not my brother, you're not my father, and you're not my husband. And even if you were you, I'm still not some… doll you can put on your shelf and bend to your every whim."

He watched as something flashed across her face in the shadows of the lanterns, something akin to sadness… no, _regret _if he was reading her right, but it was quite possible that he was wrong.

It wouldn't be the first time he had been wrong about her.

That's really what she thought? That's what she thought he wanted from her?

"And what's your plan?" he heard Marcus ask.

He looked over at the dark-haired man, his eyes wide. Were they seriously entertaining this idea?

Kate crossed her arms over her chest, standing up straighter.

"To take back the 12th."

"And what are you willing to do to do that?" Jordan spoke, "This man is incredibly powerful."

"Whatever it takes," Kate responded. She paused for a moment, bringing one of her hands to her lips and staring at the map in front of her. "I'll stay in the woods. Travel through Lockwood down towards the south towards the capital. I'll wait until it's dark and then I'll sneak in. I know where to hide. I can keep myself hidden until I have the opportunity to strike."

"And what about guards?" Javier said, "A man this powerful is going to have guards all over him, someone at every entrance."

"The ones they can find," Kate responded, "I know of at least 4 entrances from the outside. She pointed to where the castle stood on the map, "The servant's entrance is the most obscure, hidden in the back. It blends in with the wall. I can get in that way."

"You can't go alone," Rick answered weakly, his voice getting rougher, unable to stop himself though he know he couldn't stop her.

He was losing. She was going to leave.

She was going to die.

"He's right," Marcus said, "It's too dangerous for one person to go alone."

Rick felt what he believed to be hope bubbling up in his chest. They weren't going to let her go. It was too dangero -

"We'll go with you."

He could feel his hope shatter.

"I can't ask you to –" Kate started.

"You're not asking," Marcus interrupted, his voice firm. "You're not the only person this man hurt, Princess, and if you take back the 12th then the rest of his plan falls through as well. We can get out nations back. We want him just as badly as you do, and I refuse to let one of my people go on a suicide mission. We can help." Marcus locked eyes with Kate, daring her to defy him, "We come with you or you don't go at all."

Kate locked her jaw for a moment, still staring at Marcus before she nodded slowly.

"Alright," she mumbled, "We go."

Without even asking who was willing to go, people all around the table started speaking.

"I'm in," Javier said.

"Me too," Ryan responded, "We're going to get this monster."

Jordan answered with a nod of her head, silently joining.

Roselyn nodded right along with her, "I'm good with knives. I can learn how to handle daggers."

"And of course I'm in," Marcus leaned forward,putting his elbows onto the table, "We'll need someone to go and scout out the castle. See just how much security they have there."

"I'll go," Kevin, the carriage driver, said immediately, "I can navigate the roads easily."

"Excellent," Marcus answered, "Once Kevin comes back we can assess just what we need to do."

Rick felt his vision start to go blurry.

"When should we plan to leave?" Jordan inquired.

"As soon as possible," Kate answered, "We can't let him get settled."

_As soon as possible._

She'll be dead_ as soon as possible._

"Well then it's settled," Marcus said, standing up from is spot around the table, "We're going to war."

_War_. Rick thought. _Kate's going to war._

He was the first person out of the room.

He couldn't make the room stop spinning.

* * *

><p>Kevin the carriage driver left as soon as he was packed and ready, leaving just before the sun began to set. Meanwhile, the entire town was bustling with movement. Everyone was preparing for their journey through the woods. Roselyn and Natalie were working to prepare food they could take with them. Martha and Alexis were mending ripped clothes, reinforcing their stitches, and fixing the few pieces of armor that they had. Carter and Lanie were preparing remedies they could take with them in case of an injury. And Jordan, Marcus, Kevin, and Javier were taking stock of their weaponry and finalizing the plan.<p>

She found him sitting on top of the hill overlooking the now-empty field, his knees brought up to his chest. She took a moment to admire him before moving towards him, the stiffness of his spine visible through the fabric of his shirt, the slump of defeat in his shoulders as he sat, unmoving, staring blankly ahead at the setting sun. She took a deep breath before closing the last of the distance between them, sitting down on the ground beside him, mirroring his position. She kept quiet, listening to the change in his breathing since she sat down beside him, waiting for him to speak. A moment of silence passed between them before he did.

"Shouldn't you be going over plans? Getting fitted for your battle suit?" Rick said, the contention in his tone choking his voice to no more than a whisper.

Kate sighed, but didn't look at him, "Rick…"

"No Kate," he said, cutting her off, his voice getting louder, "they're going to kill you, Kate, and they won't lose any sleep over it." He took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. "I just… I don't like it. I can't protect you out there."

"I don't need you to protect me," Kate said immediately, still not looking at him.

"I know," he shook his head dejectedly, "I know you don't. But Kate…. _I need_ _to_." She finally looked over at him and found him staring intently back at her. "I can't turn it off, Kate…" he murmured, almost embarrassed as if it was some form of weakness, "It's like I need to look out for you. I get anxious when I'm not near you and my heart doesn't return to normal until I see you again."

Kate looked at him, dumbstruck, until she smiled slightly, shaking her head.

"You troubadours and your words."

He shook his head immediately, "Not words. The truth. The thought of you dying over this… Because of something that might have been avoided if I didn't convince you to run in the first place… It makes me sick to my stomach. I _know_ you don't need me, Kate. _I know_…" He made sure she was looking at him, "… but I need you."

She took a deep breath and looked away from him, the intensity in his eyes too much for her to handle right now.

Was that the look of a man who sincerely didn't care about her?

"You're wrong," she whispered, so softly that Rick wasn't sure he had heard her correctly.

"I need you," she clarified, before she looked back at him with a soft, almost shy smile, "I can't do this without you."

Rick knew what it took for her to say that. In the month he had known her he had never heard her ever admit that she needed anyone. And for her to say that she needed _him?_

_Wow._

He couldn't help himself. The overwhelming feeling of love that he had tried to squelch in his chest bubbled to the surface, clawing at his throat, desperate for them to escape into the air for her to hear. He needed her to know exactly why he was doing what he was doing. He needed to know how much he cared about her, how desperate he was for her to be alive.

Even if she didn't feel the same.

"Kate…" he said breathlessly, reaching a hand out to touch her cheek. She leaned into his touch slightly and he had to take a deep breath to compose himself, "I–"

"Katherine!"

Kate and Rick both turned around at the voice and found Javier looking at the two of them. Rick's hand fell from her face. Javier cocked his head to the side when Kate met his eye.

"Marcus is looking for you."

Kate nodded, a small sight escaping her lips as lifted herself up off the ground, moving to stand directly in front of him. She held out a hand to him and he looked up at her. She gave him a small smile.

"I'm going to need someone to have my back out there," her smile grew infinitesimally, "And I was hoping it'd be you."

He looked at her hand for a moment before looking back to her face, the hope in her eyes making his heart crumble into pieces all over again.

Rick took her hand, her long, slender fingers immediately wrapping around his and tugging him to his feet. She tried to let go of his hand, but he didn't let go. He pulled her towards him, bringing them nearly chest to chest, their hands clasped between them.

"Wherever you go, I go," he whispered, "I promise."

Her answering smile outshone the rising moon.


	20. Chapter 20

(a filler but this is important)

* * *

><p>The day after their encounter on the hill, everyone who had agreed to go on the mission started their training. They estimated it would take Kevin a week to get back from his scouting trip, and they hoped to leave quickly after that. Carter was another addition to the party, and he had left training early to go with Lanie and prepare salves and packing bags of bandages and the like.<p>

Nearly everyone had split into pairs, an experienced fighter with a novice, and everyone seemed to be getting the hang of what they needed to do, the basic principles of fighting that would help them take out attackers and defend themselves.

That is, everyone except Rick.

"Keep your weight centered!" Kevin called out from his place beside Kate, watching as Javier and Rick dueled in the field in front of them.

Javier swung his sword and Rick tried to block it, his wrist cracking painfully under the pressure. He groaned, but kept hold of the weapon in his hand, backing up and getting back into his fighting stance.

"He's leaving his entire left side open," Kate muttered to no one in particular. "Any fighter worth his salt will see that immediately… Rick! Close up your stance."

She could have sworn she heard him snap, "I don't know what that means!" In any other situation, probably would have made her smile.

But not right now. This was far too important.

"Put your feet closer together and shift! You have a sword in your _right_ hand. Use it!"

He did as she said, shifting so that his unguarded left side was not an open target, bouncing from foot to foot as he tried to find his center. Javier lunged at him again.

"Come on, Rick!" Kate yelled from the side of the field, as Rick was once again thrown off balance by Javier.

Kate flinched as he nearly dropped the sword in his hand. She needed him to be able to defend himself. She wouldn't be able to defend the both of them while still fighting against their enemy.

"He's going to get us killed," Kevin whispered.

'No," she said sharply, "No, he… He can do this. I know he can. We just… we just need to figure out what he fights for."

But he just wasn't a fighter. It wasn't in his nature to fight. He couldn't just pick up a sword and swing it at someone. He didn't… He didn't fight.

Kate felt the pieces clicking into place. His words from the other day ringing in her ears.

He's not a fighter.

He's a protector.

He needs something to defend.

And she knew just what that was.

"Rick!" she called out, thinking fast, "They've scared Alexis!" she saw his shoulders stiffen for a minute, and she knew that she had gotten to him, "They're frightening her!"

He grunted and pushed himself forward, lunging at Javier who still blocked him easily.

She needed him to do more.

She took another chance, squeezing her eyes shut, ignoring the fact that everyone else in the field was now staring at them in wonder.

"It's Martha, Rick! They've got her and Alexis!"

He grunted as he lunged back towards Javier, who saw the move coming and countered easily.

It was then that Kevin chimed in.

"The Princess is dead, Richard! They've killed her! They've killed Katherine!"

It took only a second before his demeanor completely changed.

He charged Javier, who blocked him again, but Rick didn't back off. He swung the sword again, and again, so quickly and with so much force that he was constantly pushing Javier a few steps backwards.

Because Esposito might have had more skill, but Rick was bigger. And angrier.

Javier lunged back and knocked the sword out Rick's hands, but he wasn't phased. He continued to advance on Javier, who didn't want to hurt him, and kept backing away, fighting the urge to give in and cut him down.

Kate watched on in shock, watching the man she thought she understood fight Javier. She always knew that Rick would protect her, he had proven it within the first week he knew her. But this… this was incomprehensible.

He wasn't just willing to fight for her. He was willing to kill for her.

He was willing to die for her.

In a move that she didn't even think he was capable of, he quickly dropped down towards the ground, sweeping a leg out to the side and knocking Javier to the ground. In seconds, Rick had crawled over him, one of his fists gripping his shirt tightly, the other fist raised in the air, like he was about to strike down.

"Rick!" Kate screeched. She and Kevin sprinted towards the two of them in the field.

Rick paused and looked for her, the sheer rage in his eyes almost making her stop short, but she kept running towards him.

She saw the clarity come into his eyes as she got closer to him, the anger dissipating into relief. He looked down, seeing her was still holding Javier on the ground and stood up quickly, staggering away from him. He knocked into her as she met him, but they held their ground, Kate moving around to stand directly in front of him.

"Hey," she said, reaching up and putting her hands on his cheeks, "I'm here. I'm alright."

"Don't do that," he whispered harshly, shaking his head in her hands, "You can't do that to me, Kate…"

He swayed on his feet, whether in relief or shock she wasn't sure, but she moved with him, keeping him upright while he tried to get back his balance.

"I'm sorry," Kate whispered, "I'm so sorry."

He shook his head again.

"You fight best when the people you care about are in danger," she continued, "You're a protector. You told me so yourself.

"When we're out there," she continued, "If something happens out there, I need you to act like you're defending me. I need you to have my back out there."

"Why, Princess," Rick said, his teasing tone marred by his breathlessness, "are you giving me permission to be your white knight?"

She shook her head, deciding to go along with his joke.

"No," she said, moving one of her hands from his cheek and tugging gently on his ear.

"I'd rather you be my castle."

His eyes snapped open and found hers, and Kate realized just how close they were to each other.

She felt herself inhale slightly, her eyes dropping to his lips.

"Damn Richard," Kevin said, causing the two of them to fly apart from each other, "Where did you learn to do that?"

Kevin was hunched over Javier, helping him stand up and get his footing back.

Rick shrugged, "Saw it in a street fight before."

Kevin and Javier nodded.

"Impressive," Javier mumbled, "but make sure you're still thinking, man. No matter what happens, don't lose yourself. Blind rage will get you killed."

* * *

><p>As it turns out, it took Kevin 3 days longer than expected to return back from his scouting trip. He told them that it rained two of the days while he was traveling, and that forced him to stop moving for a few days.<p>

He said that there were barely any guards around the palace, perhaps only two or three smattered around the front gate and only in the peak hours of the day. He had camped out in the woods for an extra night just to make sure that day hadn't just been an anomaly. It wasn't. The same thing happened the very next day as well. They would be able to get in no problem.

They planned to leave in the morning.

Rick had gotten better throughout the week of training. He improved his control, was no longer outwardly blinded by rage at the thought of someone hurting Kate.

That doesn't mean he didn't feel it. But he knew better now than to act on it like he had with Javier.

He stood in the living room, preparing all of his things so they could leave in the morning. He had a small bag that he would carry on his back, big enough to only hold the essentials: a canteen, an extra shirt, a needle and some thread to mend small tears in clothing, and, of course, his weapons.

Try as he did, he just couldn't figure master the bow and arrow, so he didn't have any to take with him. His forte were swords, daggers, and fists.

"You leave in the morning?" he heard a small voice ask.

He looked at the young redhead, her eyes shining, tears forming on her lower lashes that she wouldn't let fall.

"First thing," he said with a small smile.

There was a brief moment of uncomfortable silence, Alexis shifting uncomfortably on the balls of her feet, as Rick turned back to his packing.

"You'll be careful, right?" Alexis said, her voice shaking.

"Of course I will," Rick replied softly.

"Promise?"

He swallowed thickly, "I promise."

"And Katherine? And Kevin and Javier? You'll look out for them, too?"

Alexis had her arms crossed in front of her chest, holding herself together. She let her head drop, furrowing her brow, still swaying side to side.

His heart lurched in his chest at her anxiety and he put down the dagger he had been wrapping up for safety, placing it on top of his travel bag. Rick took the two steps and closed the distance between them. He put his hand under her chin, tilting her head up to look at him, letting the other one rest softly on her shoulder.

"Everyone's going to be fine, Alexis," he said, making sure that she was looking at him. One of her tears slipped out past the corner of her eyes, but before she could brush it away he was already there, thumbing away the moisture.

"I promise, Alexis. Everything will be back to normal before you know it."

Before he could even finish his thoughts, he was wrapped in a tight embrace. Alexis pulled herself tight against him, her arms locked tightly around his back, her face nuzzled into his chest. He let his arms drift around her, feeling her shaking slightly in his arms. He pressed a kiss into her hair, trying to calm her down.

He would miss her so much.

He looked up and found Martha watching from across the room, leaning against the wall with her hand up towards her lips. They locked eyes for a moment before Rick removed one arm from around Alexis and held it out to her. She didn't hesitate before she made her way over to him quickly, reaching out and taking his hand. He pulled her into his side, clutching her against him as well.

He would miss them both so much.

Had he really only known them a week? It seemed like it had been so much longer, as if he had been living with the two of them his entire life.

He pulled away from the two of them, leaning down and kissing both of the women on their foreheads before looking at them directly in the eye.

"You," he said, looking at Alexis, "make sure you keep up with your lessons. And you," he said, turning to look at Martha, "try not to burn the house down."

Martha scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"It was one time, Richard. One time."

He smiled at the two of them.

"I love you two," he said, surprised that the words had come out of his mouth but not willing to take them back now that they'd been said, bringing them back towards his chest for another hug.

"We'll be back before you know it," he murmured, "Once we get this guy, everything will go back to normal."

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself just as much as Martha and Alexis.

* * *

><p>(I feel like this is appropriate right now.<br>Sending everyone of on their journey.  
>Sending us to watch Always.<br>It's a very similar emotion.)


	21. Chapter 21

After walking for nearly three days, the group was absolutely exhausted. Three days of being entirely surrounded by nothing but dark trees. Their clothes were riddled with dirt, covered in streaks of mud and clay from crawling over rocks and between trees.

They were already running low on supplies, the last of their food beginning to rot on the bottom of the bag carried by Roselyn. It all would have been fine, if had not been for all the added moisture in the air.

The air in the woods was muggy, the humidity adding another layer of sweat onto their already soaked skin. They were stopping for water nearly every hour to make up for the water they were losing, and they had to change their course slightly to stick closer to the few creeks that crickled by for a little while longer, nobody knowing when they were going to find another source of water.

But Kate had an idea. She knew they were getting close to the edge of Lockwood by the way the trees were thinning out slightly, more sunlight streaming through the canopy above, even by the smell. Somehow, she was put on point, the others following her as she made her way through the woods, trusting her judgment.

She had explored these woods so many times when she was a little girl. Her father would assign her a guard and she would go out into these woods, climbing trees only to fall out of them, sitting down by one the creeks watching the minnows that swam through the water only to stand up and realize that she had ruined yet another dress by sitting in mud.

As she had gotten older, she had complained that she didn't need a guard to come out with her, so she and her father had compromised; she could go out on her own, only if she didn't go beyond a certain point. The very next day, Jim had his servants nail up plaques onto trees, carved with their crest, painted stark white. Every year he had new, identical plaques put up in place of the old ones, up until she was about 20.

"Kate," she heard Rick say softly, bringing her out of her memories, "we should rest, take a break."

"We're almost there, Rick," she said, heaving herself over a fallen tree trunk and pulling herself over onto the other side, the others following.

He stumbled on after her, reaching out and grabbing her hand.

"You're exhausted," he said, trying to get through to her, "You need to relax. You're going to collapse."

"I'm fine, Rick."

"Well, I'm not," he said, pulling out his empty canteen and dangling it out to her, "I've been out of water for nearly an hour now. I'm parched."

Kate sighed, looking up at the darkening canopy. It was late afternoon and the sun would set in a few hours.

"We can't stop yet," Kate said, trying to tug her hand out of his, "It will be dark soon. We have to keep going…"

"And if we walk into tomorrow, that's alright," Rick said, not letting her remove her hand from his. "Even if we make it to the capital tomorrow, we'd still have to rest the night…" his voice lowered, trying to keep his words unheard, before he reached out and grabbed her own empty canteen that was dangling around her waist, "… I'm not the only one that's thirsty."

Kate looked back at the people following behind them, taking in their sweat-soaked clothes and weary expressions. Her own tongue suddenly felt heavy in her mouth, the reminder that she hadn't had anything to drink in what seemed like ages finally catching up with her.

"I don't know the next time we'll see a creek," she murmured pathetically.

"We passed one just a little while ago," Rick said, "Maybe 5, 10 minutes in the direction we just came in. I'll go back and fill up some canteens."

"You can't go alone," she objected. Everyone had at least one canteen, some had two. There's no way he could carry them all on his own.

"So I'll take Javier and Kevin with me. We'll take everyone's canteens and fill them up. Just sit down and rest."

She looked at him and then back at the people behind her, the people who had voluntarily come to help her fight to get her kingdom back.

"Alright, everyone," Kate said, getting everyone's attention, "We're going to take a short break. We passed a creek a little while ago, so Richard will go back and get water. Kevin, Javier. Go with Rick to fill up all the canteens. Everyone else, take a break."

She watched as everyone began unhooking their canteens from their belts and bags, handing them over to Kevin and Javier before moving to turn around. She felt fingers around her belt, looking down to see Rick unclasping her canteen with one hand, the other still wrapped around hers.

He used that hand to his advantage, leading her over to a large tree. He maneuvered her so her back was facing the trunk, urging her to sink down to the ground. She did, using the trunk of the tree as a backrest.

She sighed at the feeling of being off of her feet.

"Thank you," she murmured, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back against the tree bark.

He smiled at her, reaching down and gently swiping an errant strand of sweat soaked hair from her forehead, letting his hand trail across her hair until her reached nearly the end of her damp ponytail.

He tugged on it slightly, and she opened her eyes to look at him.

"Always."

* * *

><p>"Way to go man," Javier said, juggling his share of canteens, trying to get a firm grip on them, "Do you know how heavy these'll be when they're full?"<p>

"Not to mention much more…," Kevin chimed in, nearly dropping one of his, "… slippery."

Rick was managing just fine, having tied the empty canteens to his belt so he had full access of his hands if the need arose.

"It's all for the greater good, gentlemen," Rick answered, "The Princess is tired."

"We could've stopped at the next creek," Kevin said, almost petulantly, "We didn't have to go backwards."

"Yeah, or you could've just carried her or something."

"Ah," Rick commented, "but I'm sorry to admit you're mistaken." Rick pushed back some brush and came face to face with their source of water. He hopped over the small stream of water and knelt down in the mud.

"For one," Rick continued, pulling the cap off of one of the canteens, placing a piece of ripped burlap over the opening to keep out plants and small fish, and putting it in the water, filling it up, "who knows when we would have hit another creek. We could've been walking until sunset to find out, and then we would have been tired _and_ thirsty."

The boys knelt down beside him and started filling their own canteens.

"And anyway, Kate would never let me carry her anywhere."

Javier raised an eyebrow at him, "Kate? You go from calling her 'the Princess' to calling her 'Kate'?"

Rick shook his head, "To me, she's Kate. To her, I'm Rick…" he shrugged, "… it's just something we decided on when we first met."

Rick capped one of his canteens, tying it back onto his belt and repeating the process with another empty canteen.

"So, what did you say to _Kate_," Kevin emphasized, "that made her willing to stop?"

"Yeah, _Rick_, we saw you two getting cozy up there. Holding hands, not letting her pull away, nothin' but eye contact. Did you whisper sweet nothings in her ear? Make her promises of what you would do if she just let you stop for a moment?"

He raised his eyes to look at them, finding the teasing smiles on their faces, but still not willing to let them joke about them like that.

He glared at them before lowering his gaze back down to the creek.

"There's nothing going on between the two of us. We're friends. That's all."

Before Kevin and Javier could interrupt, he continued.

"I simply told her I was thirsty and then pointed out that others were too. She cares, she may try to hide it behind that tough façade but she's genuinely cares about people. And she's tired," Rick said, "when Kate puts her mind to something, she doesn't back down. So sometimes she gets so focused that she forgets to drink, and eat, and sleep. I've made it my mission to make sure she does."

The boys looked impressed.

"You really care about her, don't you?" Javier said.

Rick nodded. What good would it be to try and hide it? He knew they would be able to see his lie as if it was painted across his forehead.

"I do," he said quietly.

A moment of quiet passed between the two men as they continued to fill up their canteens.

Rick capped off the last of his canteens and tied it to his waist, seeing Kevin and Javier do the same. Rick leaned down and cupped his hand in the water, bringing it up and wiping the water over the face. He sighed as the cool liquid streamed down his cheeks and off of his chin. He did it again, wiping his wet hand through his hair as he pushed himself off of the ground onto slightly sturdier legs.

"Now, gentlemen," Rick said, watching the two men stand up after tying their canteens on their belts like Rick had, "I do believe we have some thirsty people to get back to."

* * *

><p>Kate couldn't remember the last time she had felt this calm. When she was little, she used to bring one of her father's books out here and do exactly what she was doing now - curl up at the base of a tree and lose herself in the pages and the sounds of the woods, the trees in a canopy rustling with the wings of birds and the feet of squirrels and raccoons scampering up above her. She would sit in the woods until she couldn't see the ink on the pages anymore.<p>

She also couldn't remember the last time she had ever felt so exhausted. The adrenaline had worn off, the excitement at having a plan and something to go on and hope finally leaving her chest as she sat down at the base of the tree. Did she really think they could do this? What was she thinking about dragging all of these kind people into this kind of situation? It was her fight, and yes, they had a reason to be angry and want revenge, but to run head first at this monster? It was selfish.

But she wanted this. Oh, she wanted it so badly. She needed to avenge her father, seek justice for the man who had given her everything and had been taken all because of someone's lust for power.

"So, the Princess and the Troubadour," she heard someone say, "how did that happen?"

She opened her eyes, watched as Jordan sank to the ground in front of her, leaning against an exposed root.

"Excuse me?" Kate said, her mind still coming out of her own thoughts.

"You and Richard," the woman said, "how long have you two been together?"

Kate felt her cheeks heat up, but that could just be the lack of breeze getting to her.

"Oh, we're not together. Not like… that."

"Please," Jordan said with a smile, "you two aren't fooling anyone. Bickering like a married couple, and then holding hands and whispering to each other like two young lovers."

Kate frowned, "Honestly, we're just friends."

"Friends?" Jordan asked. Kate nodded. Jordan scoffed. "I wish I had friends who looked at me like that."

"It's not that easy…" Kate sighed.

"I know, I know… it's 'complicated'," Jordan said, "but Katherine?" she waited until Kate looked at her to continue, "It's really not."

Kate opened her mouth to protest but Jordan cut her off.

"You never know what's going to happen. Fighting the inevitable only hurts everyone in the meantime."

There was a rustling of branches and grass and Kate and Jordan both looked over at the space, their hands unconsciously drifting towards their swords.

A moment later, Rick, Javier, and Kevin all walked through the space and the women instantly relaxed. Kevin and Javier immediately began handing out the canteens to their respective owners. Rick searched the area for something, his eyes lighting up as soon as he saw her. She smiled at him and he began to make his way over.

"He cares about you, Katherine," Jordan said, heaving herself up off the ground to meet him halfway, "You may not be willing to do something about it yet, but I can tell you do, too."

Jordan approached Rick and he held out her canteen to her, saying something quietly that made the woman laugh. Jordan nodded in acknowledgment before walking back towards the main group.

Rick continued to walk to Kate. He bowed as he got to her, reaching out and handing her one of the canteens around his waist.

"Your water, my lady," Rick said pompously.

Kate rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.

"Thank you," she murmured, taking it from him gently, her fingers brushing against his.

He sat down beside her as she took a swig from the container, sighing as the cool water hit the back of her throat.

They didn't talk, simply sitting in silence as they sipped at the water in their canteens, each lost in their own thoughts.

A couple of minutes later, Kate noticed the people in the main group beginning to rise and stretch, and she knew it was time to get moving again.

She stood and leaned back, her hand on her hips as she arched her back before stepping around Rick. She turned around and started to hold out a hand to him, but as she looked back at the tree she was just under, her breath caught in her throat.

There was something on the tree. It was small and square and covered in ivy and clematis but she could tell it wasn't natural. And she knew that shape. She knew exactly what it was.

She nearly jumped over Rick sitting on the ground, who was looking at her curiously, climbing up onto the roots as high as she could go, standing on her toes as she reached up and began tearing the vines from the shape. She ignored the scratches against her fingers, the ache in her fingernails, the questions that were falling off of Rick's tongue and into the air because the hope had returned. She ripped at it for a moment longer before losing her balance, tearing off the remaining foliage, and she would've fallen over if Rick hadn't been there to immediately catch her. She looked up from his arms and laughed, truly laughed, for the first time in what felt like years.

She pointed up to the square, the white paint gone in most places, peeling off of it in the places in remained. It was no longer smooth, rot and insects eating away at in in places, burrowing holes into the comparably much softer surface than the bark of the tree underneath it. But there, right there in the middle, etched as clearly as the first day her father had shown it to her so she knew what to look for, the familiar shield with the tiger wrapped around a sun, the Latin phrase that she had been raised upon scratched into the wood on a banner beneath the shield: _aut viam inveniam aut faciam_.

"That's my crest, Rick," Kate said, still laughing, "My father put these up when I was little so I'd never go past them," she spun around in his arms and through her own around his neck, hugging him tight to her without thinking.

He didn't even have a chance to respond before she was pulling away from him, removing herself from his arms.

"Come on!" she called out to the rest of their party, the people who had stopped what they were doing to watch the display, "We're close. Really, _really _close!"

She didn't bother to wait to see if they were following her before running off in the direction she knew the castle had to be.

Kate could not contain her excitement. This is what they'd been working towards for the last four days.

The castle. Her home.

She knew from memory that the woods backed up to the western wall of the castle. The servant's entrance was on the east. They'd have to get around the open field to get to the entrance and actually get inside.

The trees started to thin out, more light shining in front of her and she forced herself to go faster, to not stop no matter how much her legs were screaming at her to do so. She pushed her way through the last of the brush, staying hidden within the last vestiges of the forest but still having a solid view of the castle.

Kate's heart sank in her chest.

There were guards everywhere.


	22. Chapter 22

The castle was crawling with guards, at least ten standing at the gate to the western wall, some stationed on the wall above them. There were guards strolling around the perimeter of the castle, walking slowly in pairs as they scanned the field and the woods.

All of them armed and at full attention.

There was no way they could get past them unnoticed.

Kate felt someone pulling at her arm, looked back and saw it was Rick, crouching low, the rest of the group already moving back deeper into the woods.

Closer to safety she realized quickly.

Because of the guards.

She let him tug her away, never taking her eyes off of the castle.

In only a few moments they were back at the tree with her crest on it.

"I don't understand," Kate said shaking her head, "They couldn't have known we were coming."

Everyone looked at each other, their own brows furrowed.

Marcus turned to find Kevin the carriage driver.

"Kevin!" he barked, "what is this?"

Kevin squared his shoulders and Rick's brow furrowed even more.

Why was he bracing himself?

"These guards were not here when I scouted," Kevin said in a controlled voice.

"So they just decided to triple the guards within the past week? What a coincidence."

"Coincidences don't exist," Rick interjected, "There's always a reason."

"Well I don't know what their reason is," Kevin argued, "But apparently they have one. _They weren't there, when I got here._"

Why did he sound almost proud?

Marcus scowled at the man while everyone around them looked at him for direction. He ran a hand over his face.

"Is there any way to get in, Princess?" asked Marcus in a low voice.

Kate thought about it for moment before her head shot up.

"When my grandfather was King he built a passageway that led directly into the dungeon in case they ever needed to escape. They couldn't possibly know about it. My own father didn't even know where it came out until after I was born."

"Then how do you propose we find it?" Jordan said.

Kate pursed her lips, "I found it once. When I was a little girl. I'm sure I could find it again."

Marcus nodded, "We'll search in the morning. It's getting dark, and I don't want anyone getting lost after the sun sets."

Everyone nodded before they split up, trying to find a relatively dry spot on the ground to make their camp for the night.

Rick moved tentatively over towards Kate who was still confused.

"Where's Kevin?" he heard someone ask.

Rick froze.

Suddenly it all made sense. The dark blonde hair, immediately volunteering to be the one to assess the castle, the man he saw slinking away through the trees when he was stacking firewood for Martha and Alexis.

"It was him," Rick said, his eyes wide, looking back at Kate, "It was Kevin, the carriage driver. I saw him lurking in the forest the first morning we were with everyone. He's an informant."

"He couldn't have gotten too far," Kate said, her eyes narrowing before she turned around to everyone and called out, "Find Kevin and bring him back here immediately! He's betrayed us all."

To everyone's credit, no one asked any questions, as if they had all been coming to the same conclusion. Kevin, Javier, Jordan, Marcus, Carter, Roselyn, Kate, and Rick all sped off in different directions, running as fast as they could, hopping over branches and spinning around tree trunks, looking for the traitor.

Rick's lungs were aching from the exertion, but he couldn't stop. He was jumping over tree limbs, bounding over unstable rocks just hoping that he didn't fall on his face, but he couldn't see Kevin. There was no sign that anybody had gone this way at all.

Rick heard a cry go up to the side of him at the same time he heard Javier scream behind him and he stopped short, his feet slipping on the mossy path.

He knew that cry anywhere.

He immediately sprinted to the side, the direction she had run off in, looking everywhere to try and find her.

"Kate!" he called out, "Kate!"

"Rick?"

His ears immediately honed in on the direction the soft sound came from, his eyes snapping back and forth rapidly, scanning, trying to find her voice.

He finally found her in a pile on the ground, holding her ankle as her legs curled up awkwardly beneath her. She was biting her lips, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to breathe normally.

He was by her side in a moment his hands reaching out to touch her.

"Kate," he said, "Are you alright?"

Kate bit her lip, nodding.

"What happened?"

She inhaled deeply, "I was running… something ran out in front of me and I tried to stop… but I came down on my foot wrong and fell…" she trailed off, gesturing to her foot. She looked up at him, removing her hands from around her leg.

"Help me up?"

He stood up and held out both of his hands to her. She took them immediately, and he pulled her slowly off the ground, all the while keeping the weight off of her bad ankle. Once she was standing upright, she reached up and gripped his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her waist, and they began to move back towards the rest of the group.

They made it about five steps before Rick realized that this wasn't going to work. He pulled them both to a stop.

Before she even realized what was happening, he was scooping her up off the ground, lifting her up bridal style against his chest.

She let out a gasp of surprise, her arms winding around Rick's neck, afraid he'd drop her.

"Rick, put me down!"

He shook his head and began walking then back towards the camp slowly, trying not to jostle her in his arms.

"Rick -" she warned.

"I'll put you down when we get back. But we'll get back quicker this way and I don't want you hurting yourself more before Carter can look at it."

Kate glared at him, but said nothing.

Rick picked up his pace, walking quickly back to where they all started.

Everyone was already there, standing in a circle, Kevin on his knees on the ground, his chin raised defiantly. His clothes were rumpled, his face covered in small bleeding cuts. Rick looked around the circle and saw Javier looked a little less put together as well, but inferred by the small smirk playing across his face that it was worth it. Javier had taken off towards the castle.

Rick clenched his fingers tighter against Kate.

He was going to betray them. Again.

He felt Kate's nails bite into his skin and he put her on the ground before the others saw him carrying her, now wrapping his arm around her waist and supporting her as they walked the few steps to join the others.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Marcus said once Kate and Rick had joined the circle.

Kevin shrugged, "Nothing of importance."

"You betrayed us."

"Oh, it's like gambling Marcus," Kevin said, a smile in his voice, "you put all your money on the die that has the best chance of winning.

"Who sent you?" Marcus said, clearly agitated.

This time, Kevin really did smile.

"You'll never touch him," Kevin said, looking around the crowd, specifically looking at Kate, "your Princess may have a noble heart and a pretty smile… but she's got nothing on the man in charge now…" his smile transformed into a smirk.

"Who sent you?" Marcus shouted.

Kevin didn't even flinch, "This is a suicide mission. You're all going to die, just like you're families…"

It all happened so quickly.

Kevin turned his smirk up towards Marcus, his eyes shining in amusement. In a second, Marcus had his sword drawn, slicing it across Kevin's neck in an angry swipe. Kevin the carriage driver immediately crumpled into a heap on the ground, sputtering for air as his blood poured from the wound on his neck until he finally fell silent, his body no longer moving.

Marcus leaned down, wiping the blood from his sword on the grass. When he spoke, his voice was calm.

"One thing I have always despised is a traitor. I have absolutely no tolerance for them. If any of you are considering betraying the group, I suggest you start running back home," Marcus looked everyone in the eye, 'I'll give you a head start."

No one moved.

Suddenly, Rick stiffened.

"Home," Rick mumbled, everyone turning to look at him, "if Kevin told them about our plan, he might've mentioned home. If this man sends men to them… they're completely unprotected."

Marcus nodded, his brow furrowing as he tried to come up with a plan.

Roselyn spoke up tentatively, "I can go back and warn them. I'm the fastest runner here. I can make it back quickly."

Marcus eyed her distrustfully for a moment before he nodded.

"Wait until tomorrow and leave at sunrise."

Marcus then looked at the body lying on the ground before sighing.

"We need to do something with the body before nightfall, or else we're going to attract many unwanted creatures in the middle of the night. Everybody, find some flat stones. We have a grave to dig."

As everyone began to walk away, Rick remembered about Kate.

"Carter!" he called out.

The doctor turned around, taking in the way Kate was leaning into Rick's side and moving towards the two of them.

"Yes?"

Rick gestured toward Kate.

"She fell back on the trail, hurts when she walks…" He ignored her glare, "… Would you look at it?"

Before Rick had even finished speaking, Carter was on the other side of them his hand wrapped around her arm, beginning to lead them towards a spot she could sit down. He found a flat rock, and turned around, urging Kate to sit down.

"It doesn't hurt that bad," she protested, "I'm sure it's not even that bad."

Carter nodded, kneeling before her, "Of course not, Katherine, but let's just check to make sure."

As Carter began to take off Kate's boot, he looked up at Rick.

"She'll be fine, Richard," he said, looking over his shoulder at the people still digging, "maybe you should go help?"

Rick looked back and forth between Kate and the rest of the group before nodding, taking a deep breath, and walking the other way.

Carter looked back at Kate, pulling off her boot, and smiled.

"Is he always so protective?"

Kate felt her lips quirk slightly before she smothered it.

"It's just his nature."

Carter gave her a look before focusing on her ankle. It was red, but not terribly swollen, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. He pressed on the slight bump.

"Does it hurt there?"

Kate shook her head. Carter repeated the process a few more times on both sides of her ankle before coming up with a diagnosis.

"Well, Katherine, I think you're alright. At most, it's just a mild sprain, but I don't think it's even that serious. But, I'll wrap it for the next few days, just to be safe."

Kate nodded, "Thank you, Carter."

He smiled and moved over towards his bag, pulling out some long strips of rags and moving back towards her. He repositioned her on the rock and brought her ankle onto his knees. He positioned her foot just right and began wrapping her ankle tightly with the pieces of fabric.

"What an interesting journey," Carter mused.

Kate let out an unladylike snort, "Interesting is one word for it."

She saw a smile play at the corner of Carter's lips before he contained it.

"Yes, I'm sure there are plenty more… How are you?"

Kate's eyes narrowed slightly, "I don't need to be analyzed, Carter."

He nodded, "I was asking in a strictly non-professional sense. It's been a long couple of weeks for you."

"It's been a long couple of weeks for everyone here," Kate countered.

"Ah yes," Carter said, still wrapping her ankle, "but no one else here was asked to fight for her birthright."

Kate sighed, "I wasn't asked… I need to do this."

"And if you can't?"

Kate shook her head.

"That's not an option."

"If you can't?" Carter pressed.

Kate bit the inside of her lip.

"Then I die."

"And you're okay with that?"

Kate shrugged.

"It has to happen eventually, right?"

Carter looked over at the crowd of people that was now tugging Kevin's body into the ditch.

"I can think of at least one person right now who would not handle your death well, right now. Probably not ever."

Kate refused to look at Rick, knowing that it would only make her heart clench painfully.

"It doesn't concern him."

"On the contrary," Carter said, tying off the makeshift brace, "I think it's the only thing that concerns him."

Kate didn't respond and Carter slid her boot back on, tying up the laces skillfully before nudging her knee, getting Kate to move her foot off of him so he could stand up.

"Let me know if that starts bothering you anymore," he said, looking pointedly at her ankle.

Kate nodded, rotating her ankle slightly to see how much movement she had left, pleased to see that she still had plenty.

"Katherine?"

Kate looked up to find Carter's gaze.

"Don't be afraid to let him in." She knew exactly who he was talking about. "You don't have to do this alone."

Kate gave the doctor a small smile, and nodded. Carter walked over, back towards the crowd that was now nearly finished filling in the hole.

Kate stood up, grimacing slightly as she put weight on her ankle. She shook her head, exhaling loudly, and forced herself to walk over towards the others.

She reached them just as they were smoothing out the grave. Rick turned around as if he sensed her presence, giving her a once over.

"Good?"

Kate shifted on her feet.

"Yeah," she smiled, "Doesn't hurt a bit."

* * *

><p>(I know that I'm about to become one of those really annoying writers, but it would seriously mean the world to me if you would just take the time to leave a review, even if it's just a simple "like it" or "hate it. quit now" kind of thing. There's at least 190 of you reading every update (the number steadily going down each time so I'm sure by the time I finish this story only like 10 of you will still be reading). To those of you who consistently review, I want you to know how much it means to me. I don't have enough time to reply personally right now, but I'll get there eventually I swear.<p>

Also, it's finals week, so, if I were you, I wouldn't expect anything new until at least next week.

**REMEMBER, THERE ARE TWO KEVINS. KEVIN, THE CARRIAGE DRIVER (AKA KEVIN, THE TAXI DRIVER FROM SET-UP AND COUNTDOWN) IS THE TRAITOR. NOT RYAN.**)


	23. Chapter 23

(Please remember that there were 2 Kevin's in this story: 1) Kevin Ryan (who I never actually use his last name) and 2) Kevin, the carriage driver (a spinoff on Kevin McCann from Season 3, the taxi driver in Setup and Countdown who was behind the dirty bomb). Kevin #2, is the one that was killed. I'm sorry that was confusing. He just sort of came in there as a last minute thing and if I would've known that he would pop up I would have used Coonan or McAllister as a traitor and I didn't want to call Kevin Ryan - Ryan because if I did I wanted to call Javier - Esposito and that would've irked me and... yeah... I'll stop now)

* * *

><p>Just as Marcus had said, by sunrise Roselyn was repacked and ready to head back to the others with a plan. They figured that with only Roselyn there who was trained to fight, the best decision would be to have her bring them back to the castle. If the group preparing to go into the castle succeeded, then they would have a place to stay until they desired to leave. If the group failed… then they were close enough to Beckett and the main road that they could easily get away and move on.<p>

The entire group left behind got up to see Roselyn off, waving goodbye as she disappeared through the woods from the same direction they came from.

And then everyone got to work.

Kate knew that the door to the castle was hidden somewhere within the range of the plaques, but she wasn't sure how far the plaques extended on either side of where they found the first one. They started there, splitting up into two groups to try and map out the perimeter of the area they were searching. By the time they had finished, Kate's ankle was throbbing, the entire group dripping with sweat as the sun continued to steadily rise over the horizon. Rick, Kevin, and Javier ran back to the creek to get more water and Kate, Carter, Jordan, and Marcus began to search for the secret entrance.

When Kate was a little girl, she found the entrance because she had been running through the woods and tripped over a stone. Instead of falling onto solid ground, however, the top soil had slid with her hands and her palms had scratched against the wooden surface of the door. She had asked her father about it later that day when he was bandaging her hands, and they had gone out the next day to look for it together. When they found it again, he had told her exactly what it was, showing her the secret way of opening it, and taking her down inside of the long cramped corridor that led straight to the dungeon.

But that had been years ago. Even then, the door had been covered with soil and leaves, disguising it to anyone in the outside world. Now, without anyone touching it for so long, it was bound to be actually covered. The only thing that would give it away, Kate guessed, would be the hollow sound you would hear if you stepped on it.

The men returned with the water, passing out the canteens to the people searching before joining in, copying the others' system of walking slowly over the ground, stomping when they thought they found something.

They searched for most of the morning until she stepped over a tree branch and heard the ground creak underneath her feet. She froze as soon as she heard it, stomping her feet on the ground listening for the telltale echo.

It was there.

She quickly dropped to her knees, hands swiping at the ground in an attempt to clear off the path. She saw the wood of the door, dark and rotting but still thick and moved faster, anxious to get the door uncovered.

She laughed when she finally did so, rocking back on her heels before calling out to the others.

"I found it!" She yelled, still laughing in relief, "I've found it!"

She waited until everyone arrived, all of them standing in a circle around her before she carved a small indent around the outside of the door. Her fingers found the small latch, just barely the size of a pea and pulled it out, lifting the heavy door that would lead them inside the castle. She stood up as she did so, looking at everyone with a proud smile.

"So where does this lead, Princess?" Marcus said.

"Directly down to the dungeon," Kate answered. "There's a closet and in the back of the closet is a door that leads to this tunnel."

"And you think it's safe."

"Marcus, this was only supposed to be used for emergencies. The only people… person that knows about it is myself… And now you all."

She took in the expressions of everyone around her and sighed.

"Unless they searched every inch of the castle for secret hideaways, which I don't think they would be able to find them all because they're well hidden, they won't even know this exists."

Marcus and the rest of the group nodded, so continued.

"I'll go in first, lead everyone through. There's no light, and it's small so everyone will have to hunch. Whoever's last, make sure you shut the door behind you."

Everyone nodded again, and Kate began her stood up from her spot, stretching for a moment before stepping into the ground.

She reached out her hands to see just how much space she had to get through. She had about two shoulder widths apart on either side of her and had to duck her head down to so she didn't hit her head on the ceiling, but she was sure everyone would be able to fit, so she started walking, moving one of her hands off the wall to the side and reaching it out in front of her.

She felt a presence behind her, and didn't need to look behind her to know that Rick had followed in after her. She walked further along, ignoring the spider webs she caught around her outreached hand and the things skittering past her feet. She heard more footsteps follow in behind her as she walked through the corridor until eventually all of the light vanished as the last person finally shut the hatch door.

Kate took a deep breath, as she felt the ground slope down slightly, mumbling a warning as she made her way down.

The tunnel itself wasn't long, only about 50 meters, and she quickly reached the end of it. She ran her hands along the edge of the door, looking for the latch when Rick ran into her from behind.

"Sorry," he mumbled when she inhaled deeply. She shook her head, exhaling loudly as she found the latch and unhooked it, pushing open the small door, causing a little more light to funnel in through the door. She looked back at the line behind her, motioning for them to stay put as she made her way into the closet, moving towards the small barred window inlaid in the door. She pulled out her sword, pushing herself slowly up onto her toes, ignoring the protest in her ankle as she looked out of it surreptitiously. She checked three times, but couldn't make out anything other than the familiar shapes of the old furniture that had been put down there years before.

She pushed the door open, wincing at the loud screech the hinges from the door emitted. When there was just enough space, she squeezed her head through the space, her sword at the ready, looking for any guards that might be in there.

The dungeon hall was lit by a few oil lanterns, but that didn't surprise her. She and her father used the dungeon as a storage space, so he had installed the lanterns years ago, putting enough oil in them so they would burn constantly for 3 months at a time so they could see where they were going in the dark. She pushed the door open a little bit wider, increasing the amount of space so the others would be able to slip through. Keeping her steps light, she began to walk through the corridor lightly.

She heard a chain move somewhere to the side and immediately froze, turning quickly. She grit her teeth at the pain that shot up through her ankle, pointing her sword at the source of the sound.

"Who's there?" Kate questioned.

"Katherine?" a voice echoed back.

Kate sucked in a breath, lowering her sword slightly.

"Who's there?" she repeated.

An older face appeared from the back of the cell.

"Mary?" Kate breathed.

"Oh, your highness!" the woman cried, "you've come back!"

Kate hurried along the corridor, immediately sliding up the cell, grabbing Mary's hands through the bars. Mary bent down towards their joined hands and kissed the back of Kate's, both of them breathing heavily with emotion.

"Where have you been?"

There was a shifting on the other side of the corridor as more faces appeared from behind the bars.

"Princess?" a deep voice questioned across the way, "Katherine?"

She immediately turned her body and looked in the direction of the voice, finding the two faces looking back at her.

"Oh!" she breathed, her shoulders sagging in relief, "Andrew! Terri!"

They had been in charge of her and her father's social functions. They controlled… well, essentially everything regarding their lives.

More and more faces appeared, and Kate felt as though she could cry with happiness. She recognized every servant by name, and they were so happy to see her.

They didn't blame her for this.

Eventually Rick stepped further into the corridor as well. Terri saw him first.

"Richard! The troubadour! Oh, we're so happy you two are safe!"

Kate turned around and looked at him, a smile in her eyes as he came and stood beside her.

The others filed in behind them.

Kate looked back at the crowd and quickly introduced all of the prisoners to the group before turning back to Andrew.

"What happened?" She asked, "After we left what happened?"

"When we couldn't find you or Mr. Castle the next morning, we didn't know what to think," Terri started.

"We thought perhaps you two had just run off…" Mary said, "… _together."_

Kate felt her cheeks warm up at the implications.

"The next morning they found the King," Terri continued softly, "in the hallway by Mr. Castle's room."

Kate clenched her eyes shut.

"They allowed us to attend the funeral," Andrew continued, "but as soon as we returned to the castle they threw us down here."

Kate looked at them, horrified, "You've been down here for two months?"

The three of them nodded sadly in affirmation.

"They told us all that you had done it. That you killed him, Princess, so you could run off with Richard-" Mary started.

"But you weren't even here!" Andrew cut in angrily.

"And we know you, Princess!" Terri interrupted earnestly, "We know how much you love him. You could never have done it!"

Kate felt her eyes water again. The faith these people, _her _people had in her took her breath away.

She cleared her throat, "Do you have any idea what's going on up there?" she asked, glancing towards the ceiling.

Andrew shook his head, "Not much. All the servants were thrown down here so his soldiers could board in our wings, if the heavy stomping we hear above us is any indication."

"Do you know if they've found the secret stairwells?"

Terri shook her head, "I can't imagine they could have. We had trouble finding them and we've lived here all our lives. The only person who could ever find them easily was you."

Kate looked around for a moment, scanning the room for what she was looking for. She found the abandoned dresser, broken and slanting towards the ground and nodded before looking back at the prisoners.

"Do you know who he is?" Kate asked quietly, "Do you know who killed my father?"

All of them shook their heads, "We've never seen him before. But he's powerful, Princess."

"Please," Mary pleaded, "You must be careful."

"I will be," Kate said earnestly, before gesturing towards everyone standing behind her, "We're going to get you out of here."

She let her eyes wander back toward the armoire and found Kevin and Javier in the group.

"Kevin, Javier, pull that dresser out away from the wall."

The looked at her strangely, but did as she said, finding the small door behind it.

Kate smiled. Her father didn't like her going down into the dungeon on her own when she was younger, so he had put that dresser there so she wouldn't be able to get in and out of that door.

She gave one last look to her servants before moving towards the center of the corridor, turning back around towards the people she had brought with her, all of them looking at her curiously.

"That door," she gestured towards the small opening, "leads to a staircase hidden behind the walls that goes directly to the roof. It's all stone, but there's more room, and we can hide up there and figure out a plan. If we're quiet, they shouldn't be able to hear us."

They all nodded at her and she moved over toward the door, pushing the door all the way open and crouching down inside of it.

"Kevin and Javier, come last and pull the dresser back over the door as far as you can."

At their nods, Kate looked back at the faces behind the bars, looking at her with nothing but hope and fear in their eyes.

She nodded once before turning and moving to climb up the stairwell quietly.

She was it. If she couldn't take this man down, avenge her father, get her kingdom back, her people were going to die, rotting in the dungeon of the home they had always been faithful to. Everyone who had come with her would die right alongside of her.

The implications weighed heavy in her chest.

She had no idea what she was going up against.

But she was their last chance.

* * *

><p>(alright... I'm done complaining.<br>you people are wonderful.)


	24. Chapter 24

They were sitting in the chilly stone loft, the light from the midday sun streaming through the holes in the stone where the mortar had worn through, the dust particles they had kicked up dancing in the rays of sunshine.

They were sitting in a circle, Rick sitting directly next to Kate who was looking around the loft, a faraway look in her eyes which Rick had come to realize meant she was lost in a memory. Without thinking, he reached out and placed a soft hand on her knee. She startled slightly, looking over at him as her eyes came back into focus.

He gave her a small smile, cocking his head to the side. She pursed her lips together in an attempted smile before looking away from him again, her brow furrowing, staring at the space in the middle of the circle.

He frowned in response and lifted his hand from her knee.

"So…" he heard Jordan say softly, "… what now Princess?"

Rick looked over to see Kate's brow furrow deeper, his hands itching to reach out and smooth it away.

"I don't know for sure yet," Kate admitted, "Nothing is going like I thought it would."

"Well we can't stay up here for long," Javier said quietly, looking around the circle, "We don't have any food."

Kate nodded, pursing her lips, quirking her eyebrows and adding quietly, "and everyone I know who would get me food in the kitchen is in the dungeon."

Kevin heard, and spoke up, "There's that as well. Some guards have to go down there occasionally. The prisoners didn't looked like they were being starved -" Kate flinched, "- They'll notice the door eventually."

Kate sighed, "So we strike tonight."

Marcus shook his head, "Too risky. You may have lived here your entire life but you don't have control of this situation anymore."

"If we don't strike soon," Kate said, clenching her jaw, "then we'll all die up here. We have no food or water. If we stay up here and wait, we'll only weaken more. We have to fight soon."

Not waiting for a response, she leaned forward onto her hands and knees towards the center of the circle. She drew a quick outline of the castle in the dust so everyone could see it.

"The castle wall was built in 2 parts," Kate said pointing to the drawing, "the inner wall, and the outer wall, but nobody knows that. Between every ceiling and floor space, there's an opening big enough for a man to crawl through, between every wall, about a meter of space to walk through. All these passages are connected through doors., which have entrances straight into the castle's living space."

"How do the windows work?" Kevin asked. "If there's a double wall, how do you not notice it around the windows?

"You just find out that there are secret passages in the walls and you ask about the windows?" Javier asked incredulously, "What I want to know is _why there_ are so many secret passageways and hidden rooms in this castle. It's all so… suspicious."

"My great grandfather who signed the treaty believed in peace…" Kate said, the corner of her mouth tilting upward slightly, "… but my great great _great _grandfather who built this castle? Incredibly paranoid. Thought that having a way out that only family knew about would save his life one day…" she paused, before looking at Kevin, "…If you really look at all the windows, they have wide sills, but creative decorating makes it so you wouldn't notice at first glance. You have to crawl under them.

"But there are spaces," Kate continued, getting back on track, "in the walls, that aren't doors. They're cut into the wood, and they're covered by grates. From the inside of the room, you can't even tell they're there. But on the other side of the room you can hear everything. You have to be quiet so they don't hear you either, but if we can find them, we can get a better sense of what's going on."

Everyone was quiet, thinking it over, before Jordan spoke up.

"It's worth a shot," she said looking up at Kate, "Do you know where these grates are?"

Kate nodded, leaning forward and marking X's on her drawing.

"Most of them are on the second floor," Kate said, "Near all the bedrooms. But there are quite a few on the ground level as well, particularly near the Library, the great hall, and the advisors rooms on the other side…" Kate quickly drew another castle outline and marked that one with X's, "… the ones on the second floor are condensed, but the ones on the first floor are spread out. If we split up and each go…"

"No," Rick interrupted, "No splitting up. The only person that knows these passages is you. It'd be too easy for someone to get lost."

"Well we can't all go together," Kate pointed out, "There's too much risk that we'll be heard."

"So why don't we go in pairs?" Carter suggested, "You and Richard, Javier and Kevin, and I'll go with Jordan and Marcus. That way we're not alone, but we still have a smaller group."

Kate thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, so we'll go in groups..."

* * *

><p>Rick was walking closely behind Kate who was leading them down the staircase.<p>

They had spent a few moments in the loft, determining where everyone was going to go. It was decided that Kate and Rick would take the 2nd floor and everyone else would head down to the first floor and split up down there, one group heading towards the library and great hall, the others heading towards the advisor & soldiers quarters.

After Kate had given them directions on where to go, they had split up under the instructions to meet back in the loft as soon as they heard something important.

Rick and Kate had reached the bottom of the stairs, moving as quietly as possible behind Kate as she walked slowly through the passageway, her hands out to the side along the walls. He was close enough behind her to catch the scent of her braid as it swung down her back, hear her shallow breathing as she moved cautiously in the dark.

That is precisely how he heard the slight hitch in her previously steady exhalations, the way her inhalations through her nose weren't as quiet as they had been the moment before. And he knew that sound. He'd been around enough people to know exactly what that sound meant.

"Kate," Rick murmured, reaching out and stroking a hand along her shoulder instinctively, "what's wrong?"

Kate froze for a moment, squeezing her eyes shut before shaking her head, shrugging off his hand and walking a little faster down the darkened hall. He followed her until she suddenly stopped and he nearly ran into her, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder to steady himself. She stiffened under his touch and he quickly apologized, but she shushed him. He sighed.

"It's just…" Kate mumbled, surprising him, biting her lip, shifting on her feet as she spoke softly, turning away from the grate slightly, "… I guess I just had too much hope."

"Hope?"

Kate shook her head, "It's stupid."

"Kate –" he started, wanting her to tell him what was wrong.

"Shh," she whispered, "Do you hear that? There's someone in there."

He listened with her, shifting around her so that his ear was closer to the grate, moving so they faced each other chest to chest.

He heard the sound of a lock softly clicking into place, the sound of footsteps echoing throughout the room.

Someone sighed on the other side of the wall.

"I suppose you know why I called you in here," a voice said from the other side.

He immediately felt Kate tense beside him, her hands balling into fists by their sides and he couldn't resist the urge to reach out and grab her hand, lacing their fingers together in an attempt to force her to relax. She didn't shake him off, instead staring intently at the wall, like maybe if she stared hard enough, she would be able to see the man on the other side.

The man who's trying to take her kingdom from her.

The man who tried to kill her.

The man who killed her father.

"There's no sign of them, Sir," another voice said, "We've got my men circling the perimeter of the castle, and we haven't seen any sign of them."

He watched Kate's eyes narrow slightly before opening wide, her mouth falling open in a silent gasp.

He didn't recognize the voice on the other side of the wall, but Kate apparently did.

And she looked… devastated.

Oh, he hated this. He hated all of this. He hated not being able to help her. He hated not knowing what was going on. He hated it this entire god-awful situation they had been thrust into.

"And what about the scout?" the first voice continued.

"We haven't heard from our scout in a few days, Sir," the second man responded obediently.

"He told us they would be here by now, did he not?"

"He did," the man said, "But it's possible that something happened. Lockwood isn't the easiest area to navigate through, especially with a large group of people."

The room was quiet for a moment, the sound of a set of footsteps echoing quietly through the grate.

"And all entrances are secure?"

A hum of affirmation from the other man, "Yes, Sir. There's another secret entrance hidden in the woods that I remember from my time spent with the young Princess. We're searching for it as we speak, but we figure that it's completely covered by now and will be nearly impossible to find."

The monster must have given him a look, because the man quickly added, "But if we can't find it, Sir, she won't be able to either."

The first man hummed in satisfaction at the answer.

"If you find them, General," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "Kill them. Kill all of them, no questions asked…" He paused for a moment, "… Except for Katherine, General. I want Katherine brought to me… Alive..." Rick thought he heard the sound of a sword being pulled from its sheath, "… I want her to feel what her father felt."

"Yes, sir," the General said, "As you wish."

Rick barely had time to register the fact that Kate had started moving before he felt the tug of her on his hand, pulling him quickly back in the direction they came from. He stumbled for a moment, but she refused to let go of his hand, refused to stop. She ran through the black passageway, flying up the stairs to the loft silently, balancing on the tips of her toes as she dragged him along. She opened the door to the loft and pulled him, her breath coming in pants as she closed it behind them and pulled him towards the center of the empty room.

"Kate," he said, finally tugging on her hand and pulling her to a stop, rocking her back towards him, "What happened?"

He saw Kate squeeze her eyes shut, shaking her head, her hand trembling in his own.

"Kate, please…" he begged, removing his hand from hers and lifting his hand to her brow, running his fingers across her skin tenderly, "… Tell me who that was."

Kate took an unsteady breath and didn't respond immediately, and Rick thought she was going to block him out again. He brought his other hand up to cup her cheek, opening his mouth to beg her to let him in again when she spoke.

"That was one of my old guards," Kate said quietly, her voice barely audible, "He taught me how to fight, and one day he just disappeared…" Kate shook her head, "… he was my… best friend. His name's Michael. Michael Royce."

He couldn't think of anything to say. Another person in her life she trusted that let her down. What could he possibly say to her that would make that distraught look in her eyes disappear?

Nothing. He couldn't say anything.

So he didn't.

Instead, he pulled her into his embrace, crushing her towards his chest.

Surprisingly, she wrapped her arms around his torso, holding him close as she buried her face into his chest.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, one of his hands moving to hold the back of her neck, "I'm so sorry, Kate."

She burrowed deeper into his chest in response.

"We'll get them," Rick whispered earnestly, the words coming out without permission. He felt compelled to make her promises, to prove to her that he would never do what these men had already done to her.

They were fools to hurt her, idiocy in the most arrogant form to believe that she wouldn't come back to fight them.

And now they had to deal with him, as well.

"We'll make them pay for what they did to you… for how they hurt you. I'll keep you safe…" he squeezed her tighter to his chest, "… No matter what the cost."

* * *

><p>(I know, I know.<br>1. I'm a terrible updater.  
>2. Longest. Build-up. Ever.<br>[but necessary])


	25. Chapter 25

It wasn't long before the rest of the group arrived back in the loft. Rick reluctantly let go of Kate, ignoring the pointed stares and questioning looks and asked everyone what they had heard.

"We heard some soldiers complaining about how exhausting their new schedule has been lately," Kevin said.

"Yeah," Javier continued, "Apparently there are two guards at every main stairwell at all times, and there is a personally chosen guard that patrols the hall outside of this man's room."

"And we heard some people talking in the library," Jordan said.

"According to these people, everything that this monster promised them turned out to be a lie. They haven't gotten anything, but they're afraid to turn on him," Carter answered.

"If you can take him out, Princess," Marcus supplied, "the entire takeover will fall apart."

"Well we'll have to do it soon," Rick said.

Every gaze in the room fell on him.

"They're looking for the entrance in the woods," Kate said softly.

Everyone looked at her, shocked. Then they began talking at once.

"But you said no one would know where it is."

"If they find that, we're done."

"How could they possibly know where it is?"

"Look," Kate said, cutting them off, "They've realized that something's happened to Kevin so they're looking for it… for _us_. They don't know where it is, but they're looking. The General…" she took a deep breath, "… the General is one of my old guards. He left when I was a teenager and I haven't seen him since, but he was with me when I found the door for the first time. He knows it's there, but he doesn't know where, and he thinks that it's going to impossible to get into because they're looking for it to be covered up."

They all glared at her for a moment and she stiffened. This wasn't her fault. How was she supposed to know that a man who had left her nearly 20 years before would come back and turn against her and her family?

Finally, they all seemed to reach that same conclusion.

"So we have to strike sooner rather than later," Jordan said, "that was the plan anyway."

"We have to confine him to one room," Marcus threw in.

"If he gets full run of the castle and gets to his soldiers, then there's no way we'll be able to get him," Javier added.

"Why not where he's sleeping?" Rick said, "That's where he's most likely to drop his guard."

Kate nodded, drawing another makeshift blueprint of the castle in the dust, "There's a door that leads directly into my father's bedroom," Kate pointed, "But it's hidden behind the armoire. There's no way to get in without drawing attention to ourselves."

"Are there any other entrances on that floor?" Carter asked.

"There's the servant's stairwell," Kate said, looking over at Rick, "The one we used the first time we escaped." At his nod, she continued, "That leads directly from the servants wing to the hallway with the master bedroom."

"So we'll use that," Marcus said.

"We can't," Rick said, "The soldiers are being housed there. To get to that entrance, you'd have to go down a hall filled with soldiers."

"Not if we go soon," Marcus said, rolling his eyes slightly, "It's almost supper. If we go while they're eating, we'll only have to face one or two, which will be easy."

"And, with so many soldiers, the man would eat before the rest of his men. So, in theory, he should be in his room. If he's not, we'll just wait."

Kate nodded, "Alright, so I'll go through the servant's…"

"We," Rick said, cutting her off, "_We'll_ go."

"Rick…" she started, "it's too dangerous."

He nodded, his eyes stern, "Exactly. Much too dangerous for you to go alone. I'm supposed to have your back remember?"

Kate pursed her lips, not liking the idea, but knowing that she wasn't going to win this fight.

"_We'll_ go," she amended, "Rick and I will go and corner the monster, take him out in his room."

Kevin and Javier shared a look before Javier spoke up.

"We're going up with you," he said quickly, "We'll stay in the stairwell, but we're going to be there in case things go bad."

"We'll stay at the base of the stairwell," Marcus said, looking at Jordan, "If anyone tries to get in that way, we'll take them out."

"And I'll stay somewhere in the middle of the staircase," Carter suggested, "that way, if anyone gets hurt, I'll be able to get down and back up quickly."

Everyone nodded.

They had a plan.

Now all they had to do was wait.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before they loft the loft. Kate led them through the walls to a door that opened near the advisors wing. With all of the soldiers at their supper, they quickly moved across the hall into the servant's wing and into the stairwell. Kate walked up first, followed by Rick, Javier, Kevin, and Carter, moving through the dark stairwell as Jordan and Marcus closed the door behind them, waiting at the base of the stairs in case anyone opened the door.<p>

About halfway up the stairwell, Carter stopped walking, giving them some final words of courage before they continued. When she reached the door that would lead into the hall, she stopped and took a deep breath.

This was it.

"Stay behind me," she muttered behind her, her hand resting on her sword.

Slowly, she turned the door handle, pushing it open slightly. She poked her head through the crack slightly so she could see if anyone was in the hall. If there was a guard, that meant _he_ was in the bedroom. If there wasn't… well, then they'd have to sit and wait for him to come to them.

There was a guard though, walking towards the other end of the hall, his back facing the door.

They could catch him off guard before he turned around. Take him out before he even realized he was in danger.

Kate slipped out of the door, knowing that Rick would be following close behind. They had made it about halfway down the hall before the guard froze, spinning around quickly.

She froze.

"Katherine?"

She stayed frozen for a moment, before shifting, drawing her sword and pointing it at the man, her heart pounding. She felt Rick shift beside her, his hand going to the blade at his waist.

"Katherine…" he said, his voice the familiar rasp she recognized from her childhood, the man moving toward her slowly.

"Michael," she responded stiffly, the sword heavy in her hands.

Oh god, he was going to try and take her to his leader, so he could kill her. She'd have to kill him. He wouldn't let her –

"Wow," he said, the awe clear in his voice as he lowered his sword slightly, looking at her with wide eyes, "I didn't think it was really you."

"And why would you think that?" Kate challenged.

He laughed softly, "Because the last time I saw you, you nearly broke your wrist wielding a sword that size."

She wanted to laugh with him. She remembered that day. He had threatened to tie the sword to her hand after she nearly threw it at him. But she couldn't laugh, couldn't let her guard down, couldn't let Michael Royce get back into her head. She had to do this. She had to be strong.

"Put the sword down, Michael."

He smiled at her, "You've grown up beautifully. I'm sure you drove your father mad."

"Put it down," she said, thrusting her sword in his direction.

He looked at her, laughing slightly as he did what she said, kicking the blade to her.

"Still as bossy as you were as a little girl," Michael said, looking at Rick with a smile, "Has she told you any of those stories? She was a spitfire."

"We've been a little busy," Rick deadpanned, shifting his weight from side to side.

She saw Michael's eyes cloud with something that looked like guilt.

"It's been awhile, Katherine," Michael sighed, "I understand why you're angry, and I'm sorry."

"You left without saying goodbye," Kate said, frustrated at the emotion in her voice before she cleared her throat and changed tactics, the sword feeling heavier by the second, "It happened years ago, Michael. I'm fine."

Michael lifted a hand to his face, rubbing his jaw and shaking his head.

"I never wanted to hurt you," he said, "but I messed up, and I'm sorry I did. But it was for the best. I was only doing what was best for you."

"What does that even mean?" Kate said, her stance wavering for a second.

"I'm only trying to do right by you, kid."

"Michael –"

"Katherine," he said urgently, his voice lower than before, "You can beat him. I know you can. I've made plenty of mistakes but I know that this is your Kingdom. You're going to make a beautiful Queen someday soon…" he gazed over at Rick, "… Remember what you promised your father."

Kate lowered her sword.

"Michael…"

"Be smart, Katherine. And…" he took a deep breath, "… Don't look."

"Wha –"

Before she even had time to finish, Michael had already pulled a small dagger from his waistband.

She felt Rick move beside her, but instead of rushing forward, she felt him grab her roughly. He yanked her towards him and she tumbled back into his chest. He held her there, tightly shielding her from Michael.

Then she heard a thump.

She pushed herself from Rick's arms, spinning back towards Michael.

He was lying on the ground, a thin, angry, red line across his neck, his bloody blade still clenched in his hands.

He… oh.

_Oh_.

He killed himself so she wouldn't have to do it. Killed himself so she would have a chance to get her Kingdom back because he was under orders to bring her to the man alive if he found her.

But he couldn't do that if he was dead.

She rushed forward, away from Rick, dropping her sword and collapsing to the ground near Michael's head. Her hands fluttered in the air, wanting to find a place to rest, finally settling for his short, graying, hair. His body finally seized one final time and stopped moving, his unseeing eyes staring at her.

She exhaled unsteadily, tears blurring her vision. She reached out, and gently closed his eyes with her fingers.

She didn't move until Rick pulled her away from Royce's body, lifting her away from the corpse stiffly.

"Kate," he said softly, holding her upper arms stiffly, when her gaze returned to Royce's body, he let go of her arms, holding her face in his hands.

"You have to forget about it right now," he said quietly. He felt his heart clench when he saw her tears fill her eyes, "If you want to take out this monster, we need to go now. But I'm not letting you go in there if you can't focus."

He saw her eyes clear slightly, watched as she glared at him.

"I'm going no matter what," Kate said, her voice dangerous.

"Not if you can't focus," Rick said, his voice low, "Remember what Javier said? Blind rage will get you killed. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen and if you can't clear your head I will carry you straight back down that stairwell and get someone else up here to take him out."

He stared at her, making sure that she could see just how serious he was.

"I want you to have this," he said, his voice sincere, "Can you handle this?"

She stared at him for a moment, her eyes heated, before he could almost see the veil of composure fall over them.

"Yes," she said earnestly, "I can handle this."

He looked at her a moment longer until he was satisfied that she was telling the truth and then let go of her.

She backed away from him, taking a deep breath before retrieving her sword from where she had dropped it on the ground, holding it firmly in her hand. She moved over to the door, resting her hand on the handle. She looked back at Rick, making sure he was standing behind her, before she yanked the door open, pushing it open with a grunt and rushing inside.

The man waiting for her, sitting in a chair facing the door on the other side didn't even flinch.

"Why, hello Katherine. Richard," the man said with a sinister smile, folding his hands in his lap, "I've been expecting you."


	26. Chapter 26

(I know, I know...  
><em>finally<em>)

* * *

><p>The man stood up from his spot in his chair and Kate's first thought was that he was shorter than she expected him to be.<p>

He stood only a couple of inches taller than herself, a few shorter than Rick, his face long and narrow. He was dressed well, his narrow shoulders and slim frame fit snugly in his ensemble of black silk and wool. He had dark brown hair, nearly black, slicked back away from his face, almond shaped gray eyes looking at her unblinkingly.

And he had a sword attached to his hip.

Kate stood up straighter and the man smirked at her.

"What?" he said, "You aren't excited to see me?"

Kate's hand clenched around her sword.

The man laughed slightly, moving around his chair to stand behind it.

"I must say, I'm quite disappointed in you…" he stopped walking and put his hands on the back of his chair, "… You've been in my castle for nearly half a day now and you are just now introducing yourself to the lord? I thought a Princess would have better manners than that."

Kate's eyes widened, then her brow furrowed.

"You couldn't have known we were in here."

He laughed at her.

"Oh Katherine," the man said condescendingly, supporting himself on the chair, "I've always known where you've been. After all…" he looked her up and down, "… you're my biggest threat."

He took a step away from the chair, moving slowly about the room.

"You really blew that crowd away with your duet in Ashley, didn't you? Sharing a room with your troubadour in Kyra… Did you kiss him there? Or did that only happen in that quaint little village in the woods where you stayed with the lovely Physician from the 7th? It certainly is a step down from what you're used to…"

"That's enough," Rick said cutting him off.

The man stopped, cocking his head into the side and looking at the two of them before he chuckled.

"Well," he said, his tone satisfied, "looks like our runaway lovers ploy wasn't too outrageous."

He moved back toward the chair, leaning against it again.

"Regardless of what you've been doing these past two months, now you are here, in my castle."

Kate clenched her jaw, "It's not your castle. It's mine."

The man just shook his head, "It looks like I'm the one in charge here."

"But I'm the one with the birthright," Kate countered, taking a small, calculated step forward, "You don't have anything as long as I'm alive."

The man hummed.

"Who are you?" Kate finally asked, realizing she didn't even know this man's name.

The man shrugged, "Irrelevant details, dear. We won't know each other for long…. I will tell you this though: I'm an only child, my parents died when I was young in a raid, and I built myself up into one of the most powerful men in my city. I'm from Vulcan…" he said, looking around at the room, "… but I must say I'm quite taken with it here… I think I'm going to stay."

Kate stood up straighter, her hand trailing toward her sword.

The man noticed her movement and glanced pointedly at her hip, moving back toward the chair he was sitting in to begin with.

"I see you've come prepared for a fight."

Kate nodded, "Whatever is necessary to get back what's mine."

The man nodded.

He put his hands on the back of his chair.

"You know what I hated most about killing your father, Katherine?"

Kate blanched, the sudden shift in questions throwing her off balance.

His hands flexed around the back of the chair.

"He just wouldn't –"

A breath.

"- scream."

The man gripped the back of the chair tightly, grabbing it and pushing it roughly along the floor away from him, towards her and Rick, pulling out his sword from its scabbard.

Kate easily avoided the moving chair, drawing her own sword as she followed the man's movements.

He charged at her and she met him halfway, blocking his attack easily.

He came at her again, swing his sword at her side but she dodged it, shifting to his unguarded left side but he followed her quickly. This time Kate struck first, just barely missing his arm. They shifted parries, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out over her face as they fought. He swung and ripped a hole in the torso of his blouse, grinning at the small victory. He lifted his sword to crash down over her head and she blocked it, crossing the two swords far too close to her own face for comfort before she grunted and pushed him off of her with everything that she had, jerking the sword from his hands.

She fought to catch her breath. He was stronger than she expected him to be. And in much better shape. Doubt flashed in her mind. She didn't think she was going to be able to beat him.

He looked at it for only a moment before rejecting the thought in his head, moving his hand to the other side of his belt and pulling out a long dagger out of it. Kate stood up straighter and the man moved closer to her. Kate got into her fighting stance, but the man stopped walking suddenly, twisted on his heel and kicked her directly in the chest. The impact knocked the wind out of her and her eyes went wide. She felt herself fall to the ground, her sword falling from her hands, her hand moving up to the spot on her chest where his heeled boot had just hit as she crashed into the groaned with a silent gasp of pain.

She inhaled, trying to get the air back into her lungs but it wasn't working. It was as if her lungs were rejecting the air she dried to swallow past a bubble in her throat that just wouldn't pop.

The dagger still clenched in his fist he looked at her, looking slightly frazzled, but his eyes shining with blood lust. She shifted away from him, still hardly able to breathe, staring at him defiantly but he advanced with her, his breathing heavy, nostrils flaring as he moved forward, lifting his dagger in preparation.

She dropped her hand down to her leg, fumbling blindly to try and get the dagger out of her boot that she had hidden there because her sword had flown somewhere across the room and he was moving closer to her and she just couldn't get the damn blade off her leg.

The monster raised his own blade higher, ready to bring it down on her as he stood a few steps away from her.

And then Rick jumped in front of her.

She blinked. She had forgotten he was here with her.

She watched as he put an arm out, knocking the man's strike off course. The man looked shocked, obviously forgetting that Rick was there as well, but quickly recovered, shifting his attention to Rick, deciding to get rid of her back up before taking her out. He turned towards him, but Rick was ready. He pulled his arm back, throwing a fist straight into the man's nose. The man staggered back, but didn't cry out, giving himself only a moment before returning to the fight, his nose bloody. He blocked Rick's next punch easily, sending a hard jab into Rick's own ribs. She heard him inhale sharply and she felt the air start to come back into her lungs, but he kept defending her, moving to throw another punch at the side of the man's head. The man ducked around it. Before Rick could move his arm out of the way, the man lifted the dagger still in his hand and stabbed him.

The man plunged his dagger into Rick's arm, and Rick grunted in pain. She heard the sickening sound of a blade twisting in flesh, saw Rick's knees buckle as he sank slowly to the ground, holding his arm.

"Rick!" she cried.

Apparently the man thought that he had incapacitated Rick enough for the moment, because he pulled his dagger out of his arm, stood up straighter, tensing his shoulders, and moved to turn back around and face her. She quickly scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pain in her chest, finally managing to get her own knife out of her boot and she gripped it tightly, her vision going red.

When he finally turned around, his dagger covered in Rick's blood, raised to bring it down on her, she stabbed him, her own dagger plunging itself straight into torso with a cry.

He froze, his eyes going wide as Kate tried to catch her breath, backing away from him. He dropped his dagger as he looked down at the blade sticking out of him. She watched as he brought his hand to the blade between his ribs, touching the area around the wound. He pulled his fingers away from it, looking fascinatedly at the red on his hands. Then, he looked back up her.

And then he laughed.

Full out laughed, shoulders heaving, stomach muscles clenching around the blade that was still sticking out of him.

Kate watched, horrified, as he pulled her dagger out of himself, clearly not worrying about saving his own life anymore, mumbling something to himself before his eyes narrowed. He swayed on his feet, and slowly moved the couple of steps back towards Rick. Kate watched, hopelessly confused.

He was going to kill him with her dagger.

The man raised her knife above his neck.

"No!" she cried, running across the small space. She pushed the man out of the way, and he collapsed into a heap on the ground. She hovered over Rick who was curled into himself, gritting his teeth, his fingers wrapped around his wound. She could see the blood seeping out of his fingers and panic seized her heart.

An arm wound wouldn't be fatal, right? She had never heard of anyone dying due to a stab wound to the arm. He would be fine. He had to be.

But he was just bleeding so much.

Why was he bleeding so much?

Kate wrapped her hand over Rick's, squeezing it tightly to try to add more pressure to stop the bleeding. He groaned in pain.

"Shh…" she murmured, her eyes filling up with tears, "… it's me, Rick. It's going to be fine."

He opened his eyes and looked at her, lighting up visibly when he saw her.

"Kate?"

She nearly cried in relief.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm here."

"You're safe?" he breathed.

She nodded, smiling, "I'm safe. And so are you. I'm going to take care of you, okay?"

"You just…" he rasped in pain, "… want to see me shirtless."

Kate laughed in relief, but before she could respond she heard a slightly shifting to the side of them.

She looked over quickly, seeing the man had lifted himself so he was leaning half upright against a wall.

He had blood still pouring out of his torso, one of his hands limply trying to stop it, blood falling from his nose, his legs bent at an awkward angle on the ground. His eyes shone with undisguised hatred.

"Your father," he wheezed, "… was an… awful… king…" he coughed, blood dribbling out of his mouth, "… and you… will be, too."

Then, he smiled at her.

"Your screamed," he said, almost as an afterthought, his eyes starting to cloud over.

He didn't wait for her response before he spoke, a smirk finding its way onto his bleeding lips.

"Alea iacta est."

He went absolutely still, but Kate couldn't have cared less in that moment.

She looked back down at Rick, but his eyes were closed.

"Rick?" she said quietly.

He didn't move.

"Rick," she said again, her voice slightly more panicked. She moved her hand to his cheek, slapping it lightly a few times but he didn't respond.

"Rick!"

Still nothing.

She stood up quickly, throwing the door to the bedroom open quickly, the heavy wood slamming into the wall behind it. She bolted down the hallway, ignoring Royce's body still lying on the floor, running towards the servant's stairwell.

"Carter! CARTER! HELP!"


	27. Chapter 27

The others were set to arrive at midday.

Javier and Jordan had run into the forest and caught up with Roselyn and the others once Rick had woken up, intent on finding them and leading them to through the woods. Javier had told them that they had won, and they all began walking back together, their spirits lifted now that they didn't have to walk all the way in the woods only to realize that they had been defeated. Jordan had run back to the castle ahead of the group, returning sooner to tell Kate when they would be arriving.

The soldiers willingly surrendered when they realized that their leader had fallen and they were all forced to leave. Javier and Marcus had found the advisors hiding in their wing, and had "taken care of the situation" to which Kate really did not want to know what they had done to them.

She had other things on her mind.

She was sitting in the courtyard, the sun settling into its space on the horizon, the ground still wet with dew, sparkling with the light from the rising sun.

It'd been a long time since she watched a sunrise for fun.

"Old habits die hard?"

She looked up at him, looking down at her with a small, teasing smile on the corner of his lips.

She stared at him, her gaze disapproving.

"You're supposed to be resting."

Rick sat down next to her, sighing dramatically.

"I've been resting for 3 days now," he complained, "I need to move."

She smiled at his petulance before sobering up. "How do you feel?"

"Better than ever," he said immediately, looking over at her.

He caved quickly at her narrowed eyes.

"Better than yesterday," he amended.

Burke had been able to stop the bleeding in his arm, tying it up tightly. He had treated it while Rick had been unconscious, putting some slightly sloppy stitches into the wound to seal it up (the kind of stitches the proved just how out of practice he was) with Kate tightly holding his other hand, incredibly grateful that he was unconscious for the whole thing. She anxiously sat with him on that floor while the others moved around her, disposing of the mystery man's body, Royce's body, her hand constantly gripping his, the other wiping his brow with cold water, until he finally woke up the next morning, blearily looking up at Kate and asking if he was dreaming. She had told him no, asked him why he thought he was dreaming, and he responded simply, "you're holding my hand," before he tried to sit up on his elbows and remembered what had happened.

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Sorry I didn't make it in to see you yesterday," she murmured.

He shrugged it off, "Oh no, don't apologize. You've been dealing with a lot of things."

Oh yes she has.

"Still, I should've found the time."

"Kate," he said, his tone forcing her to look at him, "It's fine. Really."

She gave him a small smile before looking back out at the rising sun. She heard him take a deep breath.

"So is there an official date?"

Kate nodded, "Indeed. Sunday."

Today was Tuesday.

"So soon!"

She looked at him, her expression teasing, "Well you can't exactly have a country without a leader, can you?"

"No, I suppose not. But…" she heard the shift in his tone and prepared for a joke, "… are you sure they really want _you _to be their Queen?"

She rolled her eyes, but let herself smile, reaching out a hand and pushing on his cheek, forcing him to turn his head away from her. He allowed it for a moment before he turned back to her with a smile, her hand falling off of his cheek.

"You'll be there, won't you?" she asked quietly.

"Your coronation? Of course I'll be there!" he answered incredulously. "We already did all of the hard stuff… now it's time for the party!"

She smiled at him.

"And," he continued haughtily, "As your wounded white knight, I'm obligated to be there."

"My wounded white knight," she mused before looking over at him, shaking her head with a hidden smile. "You're going to milk that for all its worth, aren't you?"

He tried his best to look horrified, but his eyes were shining with a smile, "Katherine! I'm wounded. I never thought you would be the one to kick me while I'm down. How cruel…"

She snorted, laughing for a moment before standing up. He looked at her, confused, until she stood in front of him, her hand outstretched.

"Well," she said, teasingly, "I can't let myself be seen as 'cruel', can I? The least I can do for my 'wounded white knight' is to take him to the morning market and get him something to eat." She watched as the smile started to spread across his face.

"Come on," she said, shaking her outstretched hand, "I'm hungry."

* * *

><p>True to the others' prediction, they arrived at the castle around noon.<p>

Javier led them inside, Alexis following close behind on his heels.

They all looked exhausted, covered in mud and sweat and Kate immediately asked Mary to draw some water so they would be able to bathe before they fed them.

Jenny bypassed everyone, running immediately to Kevin who brought her into a fierce embrace, nearly lifting her off the ground.

Alexis immediately found Rick, running the final distance between them and wrapping her arms around his neck. He returned her hug, ignoring the pain that sparked in his arm, rocking her slowly back and forth from side to side.

"I'm so happy you're alright," Alexis said, "We were so worried."

Rick pulled away and smiled at her, "I told you everything would be alright."

"Javier said you got hurt," Alexis said, looking worried, pulling out of his embrace slightly, afraid she had hurt him.

"Nonsense," he said, pulling her back into a hug, "I'm fine. We're all fine."

Kate felt someone's arms around her middle and froze, looking away from Alexis and Rick and to the person wrapped around her.

Kate saw that it was Lanie, and immediately wrapped her own arms around the small woman.

She had really missed her.

"Girl, next time you go on a mission, I'm coming with you."

Kate laughed, squeezing the woman a little tighter, "But of course."

When Lanie let go of her, Martha was waiting and she hugged Kate just as tightly as the physician had.

"I'm so happy you're alright, darling. Alexis was right. We were worried sick about the two of you… _all _of you," she corrected.

Kate returned the embrace, "We're all alright. We're glad you're okay, too."

Eventually everyone said hello to each other again. Javier had told them all what had happened while they finished their journey through the woods so they knew that they were out of trouble, knew that the danger was gone from their lives. They were free to do whatever they wished to do now.

"Oh, Katherine," Martha said, "When is your coronation? Javier said that you still didn't have a date yet."

"On Sunday. It was the earliest the Bishop could make it. Speaking of which, I'm going to need a gown…" Kate said, lowering her head slightly, "… I know it's not much time… but I'd be honored if you and Alexis would make it for me."

"Oh," Martha said, her hand flying up to her chest, "Oh yes, of course! We'd be delighted to make your gown!" she looked over at Rick, "And Richard will need a new suit. We'll just need some fabric. I'm assuming that there's a textile stand in town?"

Kate nodded with a smile, "There is, and she's one of the best. I'll make sure you have all the money you need to get whatever you think is necessary."

She turned back to look address everyone.

"That being said," she said warmly, "You are all welcome to stay for the coronation or as long as you need, even if that means permanently. But regardless of your future plans, I've asked Mary draw up some water so you can bathe before we eat, because I know you all must be starving. The cook, Madison, is making a small feast. If you follow me, I'll show you your rooms."

She turns to walk down the guest hall, leading the newcomers through her home. The others, the people who fought alongside of her who already have a place follow her anyway, talking with the neighbors they had missed and thought they would never see again.

Lanie fell into step beside her, telling Kate that they had to catch up and saying that she wanted to get her own look at Rick's wound and Kate's ankle, which Kate assured her barely hurt anymore (she stopped noticing the pain after Rick had been stabbed and she focused on him instead). She heard Alexis walking behind her with Rick, filling him in on all the progress she had made with her lessons. Kate looked back for a moment, catching his eye and smiling. His smiled back, his eyes proud and warm as he listened to the young girl talk about her accomplishments.

It strikes her suddenly that Rick would've been a wonderful father. He still could be, technically…

She shakes her head, trying to rid the thought from her mind because now she can see little green and blue eyed babies running throughout these halls like she did when she was a little girl. A little girl with a voice that can easily project over rivers who finds comfort in words and a boy who likes to play tricks on the guards and climb trees and rip his clothes trying to slide down the banisters.

Lanie brought her out of her thoughts, nudging a blushing Kate with her elbow as she linked her arm through hers, telling her that she's going to find her tonight and they're going to have some serious girl talk because Lanie wants to hear all about her and what's going to happen and how good _Javi _looked fighting bad guys and Kate through her head back and laughed, assuring her that she wouldn't spare any details.

For the first time in a long time, Kate thought as she turned down the hallway towards the guest bedrooms, it seemed like everything was finally falling into place.

* * *

><p>(sorry, I know it's a filler chapter, but the next one... you'll love it as much as you hate it.)<p>

(I think...)

(also, I'm thinking this will finish up in 32-33 chapters, possibly 34.  
>I keep underestimating how many words something will take.<br>I hope you'll stick around for the ending.)


	28. Chapter 28

As it turned out, she didn't have much time to spend with anyone.

Terri and Andrew were running her ragged trying to prepare herself for the coronation. They typically had weeks to prepare her for any high stress situation she would get thrown into, but with only days before what was going to be the most life-altering moment of their careers, they wanted Kate to be absolutely perfect. They ran through rehearsal after rehearsal, walking and practicing the words she was supposed to be able to say with confidence. They made her practice her "Queen pose", placing some of her most beloved books on top of her head to force her to hold her head straight for hours, making her feel a little resentment towards her favorite stories.

Rick stayed with her sometimes. He was still ordered to rest, so he really just sat there watching her be subjected to her training, making faces behind Terri and Andrew to keep her smiling, brewing her a cup of tea when it looked like she needed a break.

And oh, she could use a break.

She felt like she hadn't slept in days, her neck and shoulders aching as she was being forced to keep her shoulders back, keep her neck straight, chin up, don't slouch, _Queens don't slouch, Katherine_.

Only a day after arriving, Natalie and Roselyn decided that it was time for them to head back home. Kate made sure they had plenty of food for their trip, and gave them each some money to stop along the way and wished them well.

She had spoken to Kevin and Javier in private after one of her long nights, asked them how they would feel if she made them her advisors. She needed people, she told them, that she could trust with her life, people that were smart and informed but were able to put their own wants aside for the sake of the people. Her boys fit the bill. They immediately agreed and Kate felt relieved to know that she wouldn't have to start completely from scratch.

She made the same offer to Marcus, Jordan, and Carter, but they all declined; Jordan had been forced to leave her daughter when she ran, and was anxious to get back and see her again, Carter had some patients that he felt obligated to return to and help, and Marcus felt like it was his responsibility to go back and begin rebuilding his nation. They all, however, had agreed to stay until her coronation, their plan to stay the night and leave the following morning. Kate told them that she would make sure they had everything they would need for their journey, and accepted their decision as gracefully as she could.

She would miss them all terribly.

With Kevin and Javier staying, Jenny and Lanie also conveniently decided that they would stay in Beckett, though Lanie argued it was because Kate was going to need someone to help her keep her feet on the ground when she finally gets all that power. Kate rolled her eyes, but she was truly ecstatic that they had decided to stay with her.

Martha and Alexis also agreed to stay, which didn't surprise Kate in the slightest. Martha had told her during one of her many fittings for her coronation gown that she couldn't bear to take Alexis away from Rick, that he was the closest thing to a father that she had ever had, and she knew Alexis would be horribly upset if she had to leave him.

Because of course he was staying.

No one even had to ask.

* * *

><p>She was slightly ashamed that she hadn't been able to get there sooner.<p>

She stood in front of the tombstones, one old and fading, the other brand new and stark, marble, white against the sparse green of the ground, the grass that was disturbed by the grave just starting to thicken.

She knelt down as she always did, reaching out a hand and kissing the tombstone of the woman who had given her everything she had yet she had never gotten the chance to know. This time however, she did it twice, once on her mother's grave and again on her father's.

Kate effectively kept the tears from falling for only a few moments until a few rogue droplets slipped past the corners of her eyes.

She had told Rick in the secret passageway in the wall that she had too much hope. She told him it was stupid, and it was.

It's just… before they actually arrived at the castle, there had been this constant nagging at the back of her mind, teasing her with thoughts that maybe her father wasn't really dead after all. That maybe he had gotten her note and made it out, too. Perhaps he was just being held somewhere against his will, but he was still breathing. Coming to the castle to find the other man sleeping in her father's room had confirmed that her father wasn't there.

But sitting in front of his tombstone confirmed that he was dead.

Kate wiped at her face, taking a deep breath. She looked up at the darkening sky to calm herself before looking back to the stones in front of her. She would only have a few minutes until it started raining.

Both of her parents were gone. She was the only member of the royal family left.

She had a country now.

She exhaled loudly.

That thought still hadn't stopped being terrifying.

How was she supposed to do any of this without her father?

He was supposed to help her. He was supposed to hand over the throne to her when he was old and greying, like her grandfather had done for him, and her great grandfather had done for her grandfather. That way, he could have given her guidance, helped lead her in the right direction.

She had done what she was supposed to do. She had killed the man who took him away from her, got the vengeance for her father that he deserved.

But that didn't change the fact that he was gone.

Completely overwhelmed, she pushed herself off the ground, walking quickly back inside the castle. She slipped in through the servants' entrance and snuck away down the back hall, ignoring the questioning looks from the people she passed, her feet leading her to her destination before her mind even had time to decide. She knew what she was doing, what she needed to do.

She needed _him_.

She reached her destination, knocking loudly on the door four times before she entered anyway, letting the door slam shut behind her.

He looked up at her from his desk where he had been writing, standing up immediately as he took in her watery eyes, concern flashing through his own.

"Kate – " he started.

He didn't have time to say anything else, however, because Kate already had her lips fused to his. She held his face tightly in her hands and he froze against her. She tried to deepen the kiss, pleading him silently with her body to respond in some way until he finally did. Keeping his lips tightly closed, his hands blindly found her shoulders, and he pushed her off of him. She fell away from him with a loud pop, her eyes wide.

"What's going on, Kate?" Rick said, his voice so breathless that he tried to swallow back some of the emotion, some of the desperate hope that was bubbling up in his chest.

God, he had wanted to do that for so long.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She stepped forward again and he let her, his eyes never leaving hers. She reached out a hand and ran it down the front of his shirt slowly, listening as he inhaled sharply.

"I can't do it," she said, breathing deeply, "I can't."

"Do what?" he asked softly, grabbing her hands in his own to stop them from moving. She leaned into him.

"Everything will be different," she whispered against his chest.

"Not everything," he said, shaking his head, "I'll still be here."

She looked up at him under her lashes for a moment before lifting herself up onto her toes and kissing him again. This kiss was much softer than the one before, and he sank into it for a moment, letting go of her hands and sliding his hands along her sides down to her hips before pulling away from her.

"Don't be cruel," Rick warned, his voice shaking, "Don't tease me like this, Kate."

In response she moved her face to his neck, began sucking on the skin she found there, her breath hot against his pulse beating rapidly under his skin. She let her tongue dart out and taste at the skin of his neck and he shuddered against her.

"If you don't stop, I won't be able to," Rick whispered, his fingers flexing around her waist. He let his fingers move away from her sides, moving up to grip the sides of her face, tearing her away from his skin, forcing her to look at him.

"I won't be able to go back, Kate," he said unblinkingly, "I need to know what you want."

Kate pursed her lips for a moment.

"You," she breathed, "I want you."

And for the first time since they had known each other, he kissed her like he always wanted to.

* * *

><p>As they lay together a while later, the sun had just begun to set over the horizon, the setting sunlight breaking through the storm clouds and bathing the room in an orange glow. Rick wrapped his arm around Kate's bare waist, pulling her back towards his chest. She sighed happily, perfectly content to be wrapped up in his arms.<p>

He shifted slightly, pressing his lips to the back of her neck through the hair that had long since fallen out of her bun. Kate let her eyes close at the sensation.

"I love you, Kate," he murmured softly.

Kate's eyes opened slowly, her heart beating faster in her chest, her breath coming in quicker.

She shifted to look back at him, but he was already asleep.

Kate squeezed her eyes shut, trying to control her breathing and failing miserably.

He wasn't supposed to… this changed… _no_.

People say things they don't mean all the time after they lie together, don't they?: Promises of love and forever when love is really lust and forever really only lasts until the sun rises the next morning? He was half-asleep when he said it. He didn't mean it.

Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes again and she sighed, frustrated.

Why did she want him to mean it?

Carefully, she unwrapped his arm from around her waist, sliding out from under it. Her bare feet hit the floor with barely a sound and she started to move quickly, gathering her clothes from where they had landed on the floor before she and Rick had landed in his bed. She dressed quietly, keeping her eyes on him the entire time to make sure he didn't wake up. She looked around for her hair ribbon and couldn't find it. He shifted in his sleep, towards where she was just lying and she froze, but he just continued to sleep. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, deciding to forgo the hair ribbon. She slipped on her shoes, and made her way to the door, opening it slightly. She paused, giving into temptation and looking back at him. His hair was mused from her hands, his chest deliciously bare with his sheet lying low across his back. She looked at the bandage wrapped around his arm from the knife wound he had gotten trying to protect her, the same bandage that she had kissed while he had been hovering over her. She closed her eyes at the memory.

It would be so easy. She could just walk back into his room, strip down, and curl back up into his side, wake up with him in the morning like she always imagined she would, kiss him again, tell him she loved him…

Oh…

_Oh._

She shut the door quietly as she left him on the other side.

* * *

><p>Kate walked quickly through the corridor, ignoring the questioning looks from the servants in the hall as she moved to her own room. She opened her door and shut it quickly behind her. Kate turned around, her back flat against the surface as she sank down to the floor.<p>

_Love_? He _loves _her? He couldn't have been telling the truth. It was just the situation, he was feeling a little sentimental and that's why he said it.

But that wasn't true, was it? She already knew the truth. She stood up from her spot on the floor and began pacing, running a hand through her hair.

He had dropped everything to get her out of this castle when he thought she was in danger, stood by her side through everything even when she shut him out. He helped break her out of prison. He almost killed Javier just at the thought of her being dead, took on the man who killed her father with his bare fists when it looked like she couldn't fight anymore and he had the stab wound to prove it. He knew exactly how she took her tea, brought her it whenever it looked like she needed one just to make her smile.

Oh my god, she thought, sinking onto the bed with wide eyes, he _loves _her.

And she loves him.

But she knew that already knew that too, didn't she?

She wouldn't have spent so much time with him before they were even thrown headfirst into this adventure. She wouldn't have told him so much about her childhood, wouldn't have let him in as much as she had if she didn't feel something for him. He was strong, yet gentle. His arms made her feel safe and protected. He had the excitement and curiosity of a boy matched with the charm and roguish handsomeness of a man. She wouldn't have slept with him with him if she didn't love him.

She groaned, dropping her head into her hands.

She had just slept with him, she _loves _him, and she just left him.

Oh, she messed up.

She had to go back. She had to go back to his room and crawl back into bed with him. She had to be there when he woke up. She had to tell him that she heard him, that she loves him, too.

Before she could move, however, there was a knock on her door and she sprang up, half hoping that it was Rick, her mind quickly struggling to come up with something to say to him, a way to explain why she had left him.

When she opened the door, it wasn't Rick on the other side.

"Oh, good!" Terri said, hustling in with Mary and Lanie quick on her heels, "You're here. We need to decide how you're going to do your hair for your coronation."

"Terri…"

"No," Terri said, steering her towards the vanity, "It shouldn't take very long. And then we'll get you all ready for bed."

Lanie came up to stand behind her as Terri pushed her down on the stool in front of the mirror..

"Good lord, Katherine," she swore, staring at her hair, "Are you alright? You seem pretty anxious."

She looked at her in the mirror, her breath catching in her throat.

She didn't want them to know. Not when she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Rick about it yet. What had just happened… it wasn't any of their business.

"I'm fine, how so?"

Lanie looked unimpressed, "It looks like you've been running your hands through your hair a lot if the knots are anything to go by."

It wasn't _her _hands fault.

Kate took a deep breath, mentally shaking the memory of his fingers sliding through her hair from her mind.

"I'm fine, Lanie. I just… just have something I need to do. I'll do it tomorrow."

She would tell him tomorrow. The very first moment she could get him alone, she would tell him.

She smiled slightly at the thought.

_Tomorrow._


	29. Chapter 29

When he woke up the next morning, he was alone.

He blinked into the morning sunlight breaking through his windows, cringing at the brightness. His hands reached out and touched the empty space beside him.

So it _was _just another dream.

He sat up, rubbed his hand over his face.

The one he had last night had seemed so very real. He swore he could practically smell her on his sheets.

He stood up to get out of bed, looking down in surprise.

He didn't normally sleep naked.

Rick shrugged it off and walked around, picking up the clothes that were lying around the room haphazardly. He must have just gotten really hot the night before and decided to take them all off.

He shook it off, pulling on his pants before finding a semi-clean pair of trousers. He walked over to his washroom, looked at himself in the small mirror nailed to the wall and his eyes widened.

What had happened to his hair?

He must've had a _really_ bad night.

It took him longer than usual, but he finally worked his hair into submission. He splashed some of the water from his pitcher onto his face, letting it drip off of his face into the basin, breathing deeply.

He really needed to get himself under control this morning if he was going to have any chance of acting normal around her this morning.

Speaking of which, he really wanted to see her.

* * *

><p>When he found her, she was standing on a raised podium, Terri and Andrew on either side of her, coaching her through yet another rehearsal. She had more books piled on top of her head and Rick cringed, knowing how much she hated it. So he decided to try and ease the tension.<p>

"I must say that I love your new hat, Princess. It suits you quite well."

She spun around quickly, her hands not quite spinning with her and she quickly threw her hands up over her head to keep the books from toppling off of her head.

"Hey," she said with a smile. She righted the books on top of her head and curtsied dramatically, the books staying perfectly still this time, "I thought you might like it."

He bowed dramatically in return.

"I can always trust you to be up to date on the latest fashions."

She smiled at him once more before looking back at a slightly annoyed Terri and Andrew.

He had to admit, he was a thrown a little off balance. She was never usually so… open around him when others were there too. She was always stern, no doubt to try and make others take her seriously, so seeing her smiling so openly around Terri and Andrew had confused him.

And then she looked back at him.

She was glowing, her eyes sparkling like she was keeping a dark secret and she was including him in on.

His breath caught in his throat, realization hitting him like a blow to the chest.

The night before hadn't been a dream. He had woken up without clothes on because she had helped take them off of him. He had undressed her, touched her, made love to her, and she looked happy. She had smiled at him, dug her heels into him as he pushed her over the edge.

He told her he loved her.

She wasn't there when he woke up.

Why would she leave him?

"Just one last thing, Katherine," Andrew murmured.

He gestured over towards Terri who came over with a locked wooden box. She handed the box over to Andrew, before turning back to Kate, taking the books off of her head and pulling the ribbon out of her hair. Her locks fell around her face as Terri pulled them over her shoulders, and Rick's breath caught in his throat.

He had done the very same thing the night before. He had run his fingers through her hair, feeling it slide around his fingers like the satin of the dress she had worn.

He watched as Andrew unlocked the box with one hand, placing the key back into a pocket on his jacket.

Andrew lifted a crown out of the wooden box and fingered it carefully, carefully avoiding any of the jewels to evade smudging their brilliance. He looked on with Terri as Kate knelt down carefully.

He felt his eyes widen as his heart started breaking.

He had never seen her wearing a crown. When he met her, standing in this very hall, wearing that blue dress that emphasized her tiny waist and flawless skin with her hair tied back at the base of her neck, she hadn't worn one. She didn't wear it when they went out in public through the people immediately knew who she was, and she didn't wear it when they were running for their lives.

But now that part of their lives was over.

When she was with him, she was a princess. She didn't act like one, but she was.

Now she's a queen, and is expected to act like one.

Queens can't be with troubadours.

He had been fooling himself this entire time. He thought that maybe he had a chance, back when he strolled her around this very hall and read her poetry for the first time, back when he taught her how to project her voice by screaming over the river, when she told him that he should know what he was getting himself into.

He really had no idea.

He thought maybe he had a chance when she curled up in bed with him like it wasn't anything to be ashamed of. He thought maybe he had a chance when she let him touch her bruises, when she told him she needed him, when she let him carry her to safety when she fell and landed wrong on her foot. He thought that maybe she would have been able to love him, be with him when she stood up and kissed him for the first time, when he took a knife to the arm for her.

He thought that maybe she loved him the night before.

He thought that maybe, just maybe, he could've been allowed to love her. Back when she was just Kate, his beautiful, wonderful partner that had managed to steal his heart right out of his chest through the tips of her fingers that very first time that she touched him only minutes after they had met.

But looking at her now, it was all blown away. Because the crown fit perfectly on top of her head, the gold and gemstones sparkling against the sun that was filtering in through the towering windows, bouncing off the soft brown waves of her hair that fell around her like a veil.

She was so beautiful it took his breath away.

Her shoulders were back as she straightened her spine as a hand mirror was proffered for her. She kept her hands folded in front of her, not succumbing to the desire to reach up and touch the metal on top of her head. Instead, she lifted her chin slightly, a small smile playing on the corner of her lips at the sight of her.

She looked elegant, and powerful.

She looked like a queen.

And queens just don't love troubadours.

"A perfect fit," Andrew said, pulling him out of his thoughts. Andrew backed away from her slightly, bending his head out of respect.

"Oh, Katherine," Terri gasped by his side, bringing her hands up to her lips, "You look beautiful."

Kate smiled at the two of them before looking at Rick.

"So, Rick" she said with a teasing smile threatening to break free on her lips. She spun around once, her skirt twirling around her ankles, her head dropping slightly as she curtsied at him. When she rose, she couldn't bite back the playful smile, "what do you think?"

He felt his eyes well up but he blinked them away quickly, clenching his fists at his side.

He wanted to touch her. Again. He wanted to prove just how beautiful she was.

But he couldn't do that. Not anymore.

Queens don't marry troubadours.

Queens marry Kings. Queens marry Princes. Queens marry Dukes and maybe an Earl or perhaps even a Baron. They marry people with history, impressive lineage, power, and names that mean something to people.

They marry men with birthright.

He had no right to anything.

Especially not her

So instead of running to her, reaching out and grabbing her face between her hands so he could kiss her with everything he had, he gave her a low, dramatic bow, sweeping off his imaginary hat and breaking eye contact for the moment.

"You look beautiful..." he said, softly, hoping he could keep the heartbreak out of his voice, "… Your Majesty."

He tried to keep his tone light, but she saw right through it. Her brow furrowed in response, trying to figure out what she had done wrong.

Terri and Andrew seemed oblivious to it however, instead rushing over to her. Andrew took the crown off of her head and placed it back in the wooden box as Terri came and tugged on her arm.

"Oh, there's still so much to do, Katherine," Terri said, "And the big day is tomorrow. The bishop is coming first thing in the morning to do the coronation. You have one more fitting for your gown and we need to check the kitchen to make sure they have everything they need for the feast. We have to –"

Rick tuned them out, locking eyes with Kate who was looking at him over Terri's head. He nodded, giving her a forced smile before turning and walking quickly through the hall, away from her, towards the door that would take him away from her.

"Rick!" he heard her call out, the sound of her slippers hitting the marble floor as she ran towards him.

He contemplated not stopping, but then he realized that there was no chance she would ever believe that he hadn't heard her. He stopped walking and turned around.

When she reached him, she placed a hand on his arm.

"Are you alright?" she asked, the concern shining through her eyes.

"Of course, Katherine."

She frowned again at the use of her given name. He only called her that when he was cross with her or when he was being far too serious.

She was Kate to him.

"Can we talk? Today?"

He looked over her shoulder at Andrew and Terri, who were looking at him with undisguised annoyance, clearly wanting to get back to work with the future queen for tomorrow.

"I think you're not going to have time for that today."

She follows his gaze, looking over her shoulder at the two of them before turning back quickly.

"I don't care," she says, "First thing tomorrow?"

Why was she doing this to him?

He nodded.

"I'll meet you in the courtyard at sunrise?"

He gave her another forced smile.

"Of course, Kate."

He waits until she nods, lifting the hand she had placed on his arm and bringing it to his lips, and kissing her knuckles softly, letting his lips linger just a bit too long before letting her hand drop down to her side.

He bowed low again in front of her, serious and solemn, before looking her in the eye again.

"Good day, Your Highness."

He turned around and kept on walking, squeezing his eyes shut as he walked back towards the room that she had given him only two months before.

He didn't want to hurt her. Honestly. Hurting her was the very last thing he ever wanted to do.

But he knew what he was going to do would hurt her. Terribly. And the thought put knots in his stomach, made him hate himself with every fiber of his being because he loves her so much.

A tear slipped out past the corner of his eye and he brushed the moisture away before it could leave its evidence on his cheek.

He slid inside of his room, shutting the door behind him and leaning against it for a moment, trying to catch his breath, before he moved over towards his bed, reaching underneath of it and pulling out the travel bag that he had put there when he first arrived at the castle that he hadn't touched since. He saw something white slide out with it.

His travel bag in one hand, he reached down and picked up the white string. No, not a string… a ribbon. A hair ribbon.

_Her_ hair ribbon.

He contemplated throwing it out, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. He stared at it for a moment, before he tucked it gently into his pocket.

A token to remind himself that this was real, that she was real. That he had known her and loved her and for one night she had loved him right back.

He threw his bag onto his bed, the thin layer of dust erupting off the surface and into the air.

He started throwing his belongings in it mechanically.

This would make it easier. It would make this entire situation better for everyone involved. Sure, it may hurt her now, but in time, maybe a few weeks, maybe months, she would be fine. She would find someone who could give her everything, marry someone with a title, and he would help her rule her country.

As he reached for his coronation suit, he froze.

Alexis would be so upset. And Martha, as well. He stared at the outfit that had been made especially for him, designed, he was assured, to be the perfect ensemble for Kate's coronation gown without downright matching. He left the suit untouched, hanging on the side of his armoire and kept packing.

They would forgive him for leaving. This was a safe place for them, a place where they would be able to get plenty of work and never want for anything, which was exactly what he wanted for them. They would forgive him as soon as they realized why he left in the first place.

Queens don't marry troubadours.

And troubadours just can't fall out of love with queens.

* * *

><p>(If you didn't know I planned to mess this up in some way,<br>then you've probably never read another one of my stories)

(Also, it's my birthday. So be kind to the 19 year old writer)


	30. Chapter 30

He didn't show up that morning.

Kate woke up just as the sun was rising through her windows. She had gotten out of bed quickly, her anxiety mixing with her excitement in a strange combination that made it hard for her to stand still.

She was going to tell him. She was going to let him know how she felt.

That she was sorry.

That she loved him.

That she didn't think she could do this without him anymore.

Kate was not the type of person to feel vulnerable, not the type of person that would ever admit that she needed someone, that she cared about someone so much that it physically hurt to be away from them. She knew she should block him out, try to keep him safe because she'll only hurt him in the end, she always does.

But she needs to tell him. She needs him to know.

For all she's put him through, he deserves to know.

She dressed in one of her basic cotton dresses, knowing that she was just going to have to change later into her coronation gown later, tying her hair back into a messy ponytail before making her way into the courtyard. She hadn't seen him at all since he was acting so odd the previous morning, and she was almost giddy to see him again.

He wasn't there when she got there, but that didn't surprise her. He tended to oversleep. She smiled as she thought of the first time she had woken him up, when he had answered his door with sleep riddled hair and nothing covering his broad chest. She bit her lip to try and stop the blush at the image, but she couldn't stop the way her smile grew across her face.

She had seen him in nothing at all.

Another smile.

She would wait. Of course she would wait for him. He would be there soon.

She started getting worried once the sun had risen fully over the horizon, when the servants started leaving their quarters and bustling around the halls with purpose, preparing for the big day.

Kate finally left the courtyard and began to walk towards Rick's room. She would wake him up and talk to him. So what if she didn't have as much time as she was hoping she would. It wouldn't take long. As long as she could get the words out.

_Rick, I'm sorry. I lov-_

"There you are, Katherine!"

She looked over her shoulder and saw Terri bustling toward her, Martha and Alexis trailing behind her carrying a garment bag and large smiles.

"We don't have much time before your coronation and we've got so very much to do…" Kate felt the woman tug on her arm, "… and we're already behind schedule!"

She looked back over her shoulder at Rick's door as she was being tugged away.

"But…" Kate protested.

"What have I told you about 'buts'?" Martha teased. She followed Kate's line of sight, seeing Rick's door and she smirked.

"Now, don't worry, darling," Martha said maternally, "He got his new suit yesterday morning. He's all set and ready to go."

Kate didn't get a chance to protest before Martha grabbed her free arm and tugged her back toward her chamber.

* * *

><p>She was dressed and ready to go, standing in the Library before the great hall, wringing her hands anxiously in front of her.<p>

Terri and Andrew had just slipped inside the doors, telling her that it would be only a moment before they would open the doors for her to process in.

And an hour later she would be Queen.

Lanie had stayed behind, fluffing out the train of her gown behind her, the long piece of satin hand embroidered by Martha and Alexis. The gown itself fit perfectly, the red bodice clinging tightly to her skin, the corset bones making her look even tinier than she already was. Terri had pulled half of her hair up with a pearl encrusted comb, the rest of her long tresses pulled in front of her shoulders. She wore a small tiara, the tiara that she was given to her when she was born, that would soon be replaced by an even bigger crown.

This was the most important moment of her life.

"He's not here," Kate said, turning to Lanie, "He told me he'd be here."

"Katherine," Lanie said, reaching out towards her and grabbing her hands to stop the anxious motion, "He'll be here."

"But he's not here now. He promised me he'd be here, Lanie."

"Katherine –"

"Something's wrong, Lanie," she said, cutting her off, her voice growing in volume, choking on the anxiety that was creeping up her esophagus, "He wouldn't just not show up. He knows how important this is to me. He knows how much I need him here."

She felt Lanie squeeze her hands tighter.

"Katherine," she said firmly, "you need to calm down. You're nervous, and it is just making everything worse. I need you to breathe, alright? I need you to stay with me right now."

Lanie waited until Kate took a few calming breaths before continuing.

"Now, after this ceremony is over, we will make sure he's alright. We'll send Kevin and Javier to find him. But right now, you just need to calm down."

She heard someone shift on the other side of the door, the sound of a hand resting nervously against the door handle making her stand up a little straighter. Lanie dropped her hold on Kate's hands, moving over out of the doorway so the crowd lining the halls would see nothing but Kate. Kate looked over at her and Lanie smiled.

"Right now, it's time to make you a queen."

She heard the wafting strains of the music start up, the familiar sound of the doors creaking open that forced her to break eye contact with Lanie. She looked straight ahead, taking in the runner straight down the middle of the long hall, the crowd on either side standing shoulder to shoulder, leaning forward slightly to try and get a good look at her. Her eyes quickly scanned the crowd, quickly finding Kevin and Javier standing near the platform where the bishop was waiting for her, a crown, _her_ crown, sitting off to the side.

He was supposed to be standing up there with them.

She heard Lanie clear her throat lowly and Kate pushed her shoulder's back slightly. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for only a moment before stepping out into the hall.

* * *

><p>Kate was sitting in the long dining room at the lengthy wooden table that was far too long to be necessary, a half empty plate of supper in front of her. Her new crown was perched perfectly on top of her head, but her mind was elsewhere. On her left and right sat the foreign dignitaries that had been able to attend and were henceforth invited to this<em> elite<em> supper celebration, and a few chairs past that sat the people she really wanted to be by her side. The royals were saying something about their bravery, _her _bravery at defeating the monster that had hurt everyone so badly, and oh, how tiring it must have been to keep running away from something that was just waiting for you to slow down. She smiled politely at the correct times, made jokes at her own expense and everyone was lively and enjoying themselves, but her eyes had shifted down towards the three empty chairs around Lanie. Before Javier and Kevin had even sat down to eat, before Kate could even approach them, Lanie was already on them, gesturing towards the seat that was supposed to be Rick's and then glancing at Kate. The boys had been gone for nearly half an hour and they still hadn't returned yet.

Lanie caught Kate's eye and shrugged slightly, and Kate could see even from the other end of the table that her eyes were starting to panic. Alexis and Martha were looking at the empty chairs, concerned, and Jordan, Marcus, and Carter weren't doing anything to hide their unease either.

Kate reached out and grabbed her goblet of wine, taking a large swig of it before putting the glass down less than gently. The gentlemen on either side of her looked at her curiously.

She smiled at them slightly.

"I think I need a little more wine to convince myself I'm not dreaming."

The men laughed heartily, throwing their heads back as they all lifted their glasses to her before drinking themselves. They returned to their conversation about their own nations' plans for the future.

She heard a throat clear next to her, and she quickly looked up.

Kevin and Javier had come back, standing in front of her awkwardly, their hand clasped in front of them.

She looked at Kevin, taking in his solemn, almost nervous, expression before she looked at Javier.

She knew it. Something was wrong.

"Where's Rick?"

She saw the two men shift uncomfortably on the balls of their feet before Javier spoke up.

"His room is empty, your Majesty," Javier said, his voice barely audible over the thrum of the table, but knowing that he had to be formal in front of her guests, just in case, "This was on his bed."

As he spoke he handed her a folded piece of paper, her name inked on the back in his handwriting.

She took it with a shaking hand, déjà vu hitting her in the stomach.

She knew what happened the last time someone in this castle left a letter addressed to someone and then disappeared.

She opened it up slowly, her eyes scanning over it quickly before gasping quietly. She felt herself getting lightheaded as she read the words on the page, her breath coming in quicker.

She looked back at Kevin and Javier, ignoring the questioning gaze from Lanie and the others at the other end of the table. They looked at her sadly, pity visible in their eyes and she just couldn't take it anymore.

She stood up, her chair scraping against the floor loudly, interrupting the supper conversation. She barely saw everyone rushing to stand up as she did to show their respect. She backed away from the table quickly, nearly running out of the room.

No, it can't be true.

Once she cleared the door to the dining room, she started running through the hall, the letter still clutched in one hand, the other holding up her skirts so she could get there faster.

She burst into his room, dropping her hand from her dress as she started searching the whole space. His bag was gone, his wardrobe empty sans the outfit Martha and Alexis had made for her coronation still hanging on the outside. The bed was made, the windows locked and the curtains drawn shut, the paper gone from the writing desk.

She spun around, her vision blurry, desperately trying to find any sight of him. She was dizzy.

This didn't make any sense.

She sank down on the bed, trying to make the room stop spinning. The only thing she could focus on was the letter in her hands. She held it in both of her hands, reading it again.

_My dearest Katherine,  
>If you're reading this, then I can assume that you realized that I've missed our meeting this morning. I regret to inform you that I will subsequently be missing every meeting after this.<em>

_Please know, Kate, that this hurts me more than anything I've ever had to do. I want you to know that I'm not doing this out of resentment. I don't regret anything that I've done where you're concerned, except hurting you. I did not leave out of hate. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. I'm leaving because I love you more than I can even stand. My love for you will destroy nations, destroy _you_, and I would never forgive myself for being the cause of your downfall. I'm doing this to make it easier for you._

_You deserve to be happy, and as much as I wish it was with me, I know that is an impossible dream. The sweetest, most unattainable dream_ _that I know I will never be able to let go. But please, Kate, for me, let it go. I know I have no right to ask you for anything, but if you move on, if you can be happy despite what I have done then I can die a happy man. Don't look for me, Kate. You won't find me._

_You will be a beautiful queen, Kate. Of that I have no doubt. You are already the most beautiful, kind, bravest woman I have ever had the privilege to know, and I feel blessed knowing that fate thought it was important that the two of us meet. Even though it's ended like this, you should know again that I don't regret a single moment of time I spent with you. Kate, it was an absolute honor to fall in love with you._

_I'll never forget you, Kate. I'll make sure I don't. You will forever live on through my words, and I will proclaim your grace from the top of my lungs for as long as I live. I loved you then, love you now, and will always love you until the day I die. Please, don't ever forget that._

_I'm sorry._

_I love you._

_Eternally yours,  
>Rick<em>

* * *

><p>(because come on... these two boneheads have some of the worst timing in all of television.<br>And I say that affectionately.)

(I just want to remind you that I do indeed have a plan  
>and the last chapters came so fast because I've had them written since before I broke them out of prison.<br>It'll take a little longer now... but we're almost done.)

(Also, thanks for all the birthday wishes. You guys are great :D)


	31. Chapter 31

She did look for him.

She didn't return to her coronation feast, instead having one of her manservants go and inform her guests that she wasn't feeling well enough to return. It was almost the truth. Her stomach was twisting painfully, her lungs ached with every She clutched the letter in her hand and ran to the nearest guard, asking if he had seen him. He would have either left early this morning or the day before, so he didn't have that much time on her.

She could still find him. She could still fix this.

The guard hadn't seen him.

She ran clear across the hall, her dress nearly tripping her, her heeled slippers echoing loudly across the empty hall. She ran to the next guard, asking him breathlessly if he had seen Rick at all during the previous day. He told her that he had only seen him that morning, returning to his room sometime around midday, and hadn't seen him since.

She found every single guard in the castle and asked if they had seen him. She asked every servant, the cooks, the men who took care of her horses and gardens but no one had seen him after the morning.

He couldn't have just disappeared in the middle of the day. Someone had to have seen something.

Her eyes widened momentarily, spinning around on her heel and running towards the dungeon.

There was a way that he could have gotten out without anyone seeing.

He didn't.

She unbolted the door that led down to the dungeon, nearly falling down the steps in her haste. She hurried down the dimming hallway (the oil needed to be changed in the lamps soon), the dormant pain in her ankle coming back, her heavy breathing echoing throughout the barred cells, her breaths coming in, sounding suspiciously like the beginning stages of sobs. Her eyes sought out the dresser.

It was pushed flat against the wall.

She slowed down, staring at the armoire, the hope she didn't know had built up inside of her chest quickly deflating.

Kevin and Javier hadn't been able to pull it back into the wall all the way when they had gone upstairs, but Rick was nearly bigger than the two of them combined. He could have easily gone down the stairwell without anyone noticing and been able to push the dresser back against the wall himself.

She swore under her breath.

She had helped him leave without even realizing it.

* * *

><p>When she finally moved from her spot in the dungeon, she had found Andrew and Terri looking for her, pacing anxiously in the hallway. They breathed out a collective sigh of relief when they saw her, but she just brushed right past them, taking off her crown and pushing it into Andrew's hands as she moved towards the servant's entrance of the castle, not willing to waste time trying to explain.<p>

He was moving further away from her with every second.

She walked quickly down the dirt road to the village, her feet screaming at her, but she pushed through the pain, desperate to see if anyone in town had seen him.

She hadn't thought this through.

The entire town was drinking for her coronation, celebrating that she had returned and taken over her rightful place as Queen. And she was walking through the crowd in her coronation gown.

As soon as one person saw her, a roar or cheers rose up from the crowd, and she looked around for anyone who wasn't joining in on the celebration, anyone who would be able to remember if they had seen him.

She felt someone tug on her hand and she fell towards them.

It was the saddle maker. He lifted her hand to his mouth, placed a kiss on the back of it before grasping it tightly, laughing loudly with joy. She felt another tug on the side, the elderly herb master pulling her down to her level, placing a loud, smacking kiss on her cheek with a toothless smile.

Kate smiled at them in thanks, but the gratitude was marred by the dread that was settling itself into her gut.

"Has anyone –" she screamed, but no one heard her.

She tried again.

"Does anyone –"

"SILENCE!" she screamed, desperate for someone to listen and try to help, but again it was useless.

There was music playing, loud music, children dancing around her in circles; No one could hear a word she was saying.

She pushed herself through the crowd, smiling politely at the people chanting for her around her, searching the crowd of people for the few faces he had known in town.

She finally spotted them, sitting together near their storefronts, goblets of wine sitting in front of them as they laughed.

"Lady Kristine! Lady Erin!" Kate called, moving over to them.

"Oh, your Majesty!" Erin said standing up, giving an off balanced curtsy, nearly toppling over. She looked over at Kristine laughed, shrugging her shoulders, "I tried."

Kate allowed herself a small smile before growing serious again.

"Have you seen Rick?"

"Rick?" Kristine asked, confused, taking another sip of wine.

"Richard," Kate corrected, "Richard Castle. The Troubadour... Have you seen him at all recently?"

"Oh!" Erin said, giggling slightly, sitting back down in her chair, "He stopped by my store yesterday evening! I gave him some fruit."

"He came to me too!" Kristine said, as if shocked by the revelation, "I gave him a loaf of day old apple bread… At least, I think it was apple… It may have been pear -"

"I asked him about you," Erin said, interrupting Kristine's musings.

"You did?" Kate asked. Erin nodded fervently.

"And what did he say?"

"He said that you were doing marvelously," Erin said, stretching out the word, making Lady Kristine laugh.

"I think he went to surprise you," Erin continued, once the laughter subsided slightly, "Go bring you something back from a faraway land."

"Oh," Kristine chimed in, the effects of the alcohol infusing into her tone, "how romantic!"

"Did he say where he was going?" Kate interrupted, and they mistook her anxiousness for excitement.

Erin shook her head, looking at Kristine with a smile.

"No, probably thought we'd ruin the surprise if you found us."

Kristine laughed, "We probably would have."

Erin lifted her goblet and tipped her glass to Kristine, before they both laughed and drank some more wine.

"Perhaps he's gone to look for a ring!" Erin cried suddenly, "You can't just give a Queen any ordinary ring."

Kate felt as though her heart was slowly pulling itself into pieces. She felt the tears prickle at the corner of her eyes, but refused to let them fall.

Instead she took a deep breath, her shoulders slumping, and gestured towards the wine bottle sitting between the two of them.

"Are you going to finish that?"

* * *

><p>When she returned, dirty and exhausted, the others were waiting for her in the foyer. Lanie caught sight of her first, the hope in her eyes disappearing the moment she saw she was alone. Everyone noticed Lanie's preoccupation, and turned to watch Kate walk closer to them, her curls falling, the hem of her gown covered in dirt.<p>

Alexis spoke first.

"Where is he?" Alexis demanded, close to tears.

Kate just shook her head, swallowing roughly.

"So he's gone?" Alexis questioned, the tears finally spilling over, "he just left us?"

"I'm sure he had his reasons…" Carter started to say, trying to calm her down.

"Of course he had his reasons," Alexis cried, before glaring at Kate, her voice growing louder, pointing a finger at Kate, "It's you! This is all your fault!" Alexis screamed, rushing at Kate. Alexis put her hands on Kate's shoulders, shoving her backwards roughly and Kate almost lost her balance clearly not expecting it. She heard some guards begin to rush forward, but she put up a hand to stop them, not willing to let them make this situation any worse it already was.

They weren't needed anyway.

As soon as Alexis pushed Kate, she heard Martha scream.

"Alexis!"

Almost immediately after she heard Martha, Esposito was moving to stand in front of her, Alexis being pulled away from Kate with his arms wrapped around her middle. Martha moved to grab her arm.

Lanie moved to stand beside Kate, Jordan, Marcus, and Carter ready to step in if it was necessary.

Alexis wasn't finished.

"It's your fault he's gone!" Alexis yelled harshly over Martha, who was pleading with her to stop, "You're the reason he left!"

Kate just looked at her trying to keep herself composed.

Martha tugged on Alexis's arm, sending Kate an apologetic look before dragging Alexis down the hall.

"He loved you!" Alexis screamed, her voice echoing through the foyer like an accusation bouncing off the walls.

"He loved you!"

Martha pulled a crying Alexis down the hall to their rooms, and the foyer became deathly silent once again.

The others, seeing that Kate was on the verge of losing it, began to disperse slowly, their footsteps the only sound besides her breathing that fell onto her ears.

"Come on," Lanie said, tugging on her arm gently, pulling her away from her thoughts, "Let's get you ready for bed."

Kate let herself be led away, feeling more hollow than she had ever felt before.

He loved her.

He _loved _her.

_Loved_.

* * *

><p>(Another filler... but again.<br>Necessary)


	32. Chapter 32

He spent most of his time writing.

Rick made it back to Weldon, stumbling into old man Montgomery's bookmaking shop late one night only a few days after he had left Kate. Montgomery's wife, Evelyn, who had taken over the shop after Roy passed had found him, welcomed him into her home with a hug and a warm meal, and gave him a place to sleep.

He told her he would leave soon, that he would move on and pay her back for her hospitality. She shook him off, telling him that she was in need of another worker ever since her eldest daughter had married, and she would be happy to take him on.

He accepted.

Being a troubadour held no interest to him anymore.

He had spoken a few times on his journey back to Weldon, trying to get some money to buy some food or a bed at a cheap in, but he hadn't enjoyed it as much as he had before.

Not if… It wasn't the same without _her _there, speaking with him. The entire situation seemed dull, it lost its spark.

But he hadn't lost his words.

No, the words were still bubbling his chest, threatening to burst forward from his lips, but he didn't want to share them with everyone anymore.

Despite what he had told her in his letter to her, he didn't want to share her with anyone else. It was as if with every line of poetry he spoke about her, a little piece of her was lost to the wind. He couldn't afford to give too much of her away. If he did, he would eventually have nothing left of her to hold on to.

No, he'd much rather just keep her tucked away in the corner of his mind, keep the words he had written about her tied together with her hair ribbon hidden in his pocket.

But keeping her bottled up inside was driving him to the point of insanity. Her face would dance across his eyes unexpectedly when he closed them to fall asleep. He would hear her laugh as he walked down the streets of Weldon early in the morning. He smelled her tea whenever he breathed in the scent of his own, and she invaded his dreams, a sweet, beautiful nightmare that he couldn't and didn't want to sleep without.

He compromised.

He had started writing on a whim, that very night when she came bursting into his bedroom and everything changed. He was getting restless, still hadn't been cleared by either doctor to do anything physically challenging, so he sat down at his writing desk and started writing. Ten handwritten pages later and he couldn't stop. And it was all about her, without actually using her name. He had used their doppelgangers, Nicole and Jameson. He was writing down their story.

When he had left, he had hesitated before taking the pages with him. For one, he didn't want anyone to stumble upon them. He promised himself that he'd burn them so nobody else would have the chance to find them and read it.

It was _their_ story.

No one else was worthy enough to read it.

But as he held the pages over the flames, ready and waiting to burn his memories, he couldn't do it. He tried again after he had a little too much to drink, but as soon as the first page started to curl from the heat he pulled them away, nearly burning himself in the process.

He couldn't let her go. He was driving himself to the brink of insanity but he couldn't stop loving her.

So he kept on writing.

He had been gone for nearly two months. Every spare moment he had he spent writing. He spent his days binding books for Evelyn, printing pages and stretching leather tightly onto book covers. The work was methodical, it was muscle memory, required all of his attention but let his mind wander.

And in his head, he was constantly writing their story.

He wrote every spare chance he got, writing down their history on the pages he bought from Evelyn with the money she gave him for working for her.

Evelyn had a quiet housekeeper, a young maiden named Emily who was paid to keep the shop clean while the others worked around her. She had a shy smile, her long brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail at the base of her neck. She would replace his candles for him when they were burning low, leave a few pieces of bread and wine out for him because he had a tendency to not eat when he got into a mood like this.

"_What's her name?_" she had asked him once, a week after he had arrived, long after Evelyn had gone to bed.

He had been shocked to hear another voice, finding the girl looking at him, holding a rag in her hands, cleaning up the press.

"_What?_"

"_The woman you're writing for_," the girl said again, her eyes squinted with curiosity in the candlelight, "_what's her name?_"

Rick had looked at her for a moment, contemplated lying before sighing.

"_Katherine. Her name's Katherine._"

The girl nodded, seemingly satisfied, and turned back to clean the spilled ink off the bench.

That was one of the few conversations they had had: he rarely noticed her, always distracted by the words he was putting on the page.

And now it was finished. Two months after he had left her, after he had removed himself from her life, he now had written it all down from his perspective, his journey with Kate, as told from Jameson Rodger's perspective about Nicole, the fearless princess who, after she learned of her father's death, was driven by her need for the truth and for justice, and how Jameson had been there every step of the way to help her through it.

But now he had all those loose pages of their story, held together by only a piece of scrap twine, and he was terrified of losing it.

It was the first time he'd written anything so extensive, the first time he had written prose rather than poetry and he was proud of it. It was everything he wished she would have known while they were still on their journey.

It was the story of how he fell in love with her.

It was the proof that he had never fallen out of love with her.

She was real in his words - as real as the white hair ribbon that never left his pocket, the ribbon that he would wind around his fingers whenever he had a day when the pain of missing her felt like the sun shining directly on his heart, burning his flesh with its fierce and unwavering heat.

He couldn't bear the thought of losing any of it.

And the solution was right there in front of his face.

He would make a book.

Using the printing press to create one book would be far too expensive to even consider. He would go through, rewrite all the pages, fix what needed to be fixed until it was perfect. Then he would bind them all together in a book, a book he would make by the glow of a flickering candle. He'd use her hair ribbon as the bookmark, another way to ensure that he wouldn't lose it. Then he'd keep the book beside his bed, under his pillow, somewhere within reach so he could flip through the pages when the memories started to become unclear.

Or maybe he'd send it to her. Perhaps it would make her see how much he missed her.

But no, he couldn't do that to her. He wanted her to move on. It was selfish of him to want to force himself back into her life.

So the book would be just for him.

He would start it the next day.

He tied the strings tighter around the pages, holding them to his chest as he blew out the candle on the work bench, capping the inkwell to his pen before moving carefully to the staircase, where his room was. He tucked the packet of papers onto the small wooden table beside his bed, the same bed he had slept in as a child when the Montgomery's had taken him in the first time. He shed his shirt, kicked off his shoes, and crawled under the covers, hoping to fall asleep quickly.

* * *

><p>That night he dreamed of her again.<p>

And when he woke up in the morning, he missed her more than ever.

* * *

><p>(getting there...)<p>

(I'm a troll)

(I was also nominated for Best Short Fic over at for my story _Bedhead. _You should totally head over to / vote-fanfic / 1892 and go over to vote for your favorites!)


	33. Chapter 33

She stopped looking for him.

Three months of searching for him around every corner, double checking every crowd of people for a glimpse of his tall frame had left her with nothing but an aching, deep in her chest.

When she had seen Carter, Marcus, and Jordan off, they had left with the promise that they would keep an eye out for the traveling poet. Kate had hope that they would send back good news, thought that, since they were all headed off in different directions, it would increase the likelihood that they would find him.

She hadn't heard from them since they left.

She was still on rocky terms with Alexis as well. While the girl had apologized for shoving her, she refused to say anything regarding the words that were spoken that night in the hall. Which, in an odd way, made Kate respect the girl. She had meant what she said and she was sticking to it.

Something that Kate wished she would have done when it mattered the most.

She realized looking back on it now that the hollowness she originally felt had been shock.

The first night she cried herself to sleep, hopelessly confused as to what she had done wrong. She had tried to fix it because yes, she had made a horrible mistake in leaving him that night, and yes, she understood how he could be upset about it but she had tried to make an effort. She was going to tell him the truth.

When she woke up the next morning, the sadness was replaced by anger.

How _dare_ he?

When she had gone to him, he told her that he would be there for her. He told her that he would _always_ be there for her. He told her that he loved her. And, because of one mistake, he was willing to throw it all away? He wasn't even willing to give her a chance to explain her actions, instead choosing to run away from her.

Yes… the anger had lasted for quite a while.

Now? Now she just felt numb.

She didn't have the time to act on anything personal. She was in the process of rebuilding her country, a country which, for 3 months, had no guidance. Relationships with other nations in the treaty had been destroyed by a lack of communication, farms and businesses were falling to ruin because the monster who had taken over her home had refused to see townspeople looking for help.

She had a responsibility to her people, to her _father_, to take care of her country, and if her personal issues and desires had to be put on hold to do that? Well… so be it.

* * *

><p>She, Kevin, and Javier had been on the move for three days. They were visiting the queen of The Gates, named Victoria, hoping to alleviate some of the tension between the states. It was a day and half long journey on horseback, and they had only spent a night with Queen Victoria, whose husband had recently passed, before making a move to go back to Beckett.<p>

Queen Victoria was strict. With sharp features and a quick tongue, she could put even the hardest of Kings in their place. But the woman, as stiff as she may be, seemed to have a sort of soft spot for Kate, a kind of respect that women thrust into such a patriarchal society have towards each other.

So while Kate didn't think that they would ever been friends, and they disagreed on many aspects of policy and power, she was certain they would be able to be civil.

She considered that a job well done.

They were nearly home, only a half a day's journey east from Beckett when the clouds started to roll in. The three of them were somewhere in the 9th nation, and it was still early in the morning, but realized that they journey would take longer in the rain, and would also be ten times more miserable. They stopped at the first town they saw, deciding to wait out the coming storm.

"Where are we?" Kate asked, the three of them walking through the town, looking for an inn to stop in. They had left their horses at a stable near the edge of town, carrying only their bags of clothes on their backs.

"Weldon," Javier said.

Kate's breath hitched in her throat.

"We'll stay here for the day, possibly even the night depending on how bad the storm is. We just don't want to be traveling in the rain."

Kate nodded, but she had stopped paying attention.

This is where Rick was from.

He wouldn't be here. Of that she was sure. He would be traveling somewhere, reading his poems, drinking in taverns without a care, making women fall in love with him -

"Hey, are you alright?" Kevin asked.

"You seem a little out of it," Javier added.

She gave her friends a small smile.

"I'm fine," she said.

At their disbelieving stares, she sighed.

"It's just… this is where Rick… _Richard _is from."

The two men straightened their spines, as overprotective as ever.

"We can leave if you want," Javier said.

"Yeah," Kevin said, "there's another town just a few miles up the road according to the map. We can probably beat the rain."

She glared at them.

"Stop coddling me," she warned, "I'm alright. Besides, Rick probably isn't even here. He's a _troubadour,_" she spat, "He can't settle down anywhere and be content…"

"Excuse me?" she heard a voice ask.

Kate turned around, finding a girl standing behind her.

She looked young, a little bit older than the typical marrying age but she had no ring on her hand. She had brown hair, tied back with a bow at the base of her skull.

She was holding a stack of paper in her arms almost as high as her torso, looking almost as though she was about to drop them, yet she still had stopped to get her attention.

"Yes?" Kate asked politely.

"When you say Rick…" the girl asked tentatively, "… Is that short for Richard?"

Kate bristled, it was none of this girl's business.

"As in Richard Castle?" The girl continued, her eyes open, shifting the bundles of paper in her arms.

Kate felt her stomach clench.

"Do you know him?" Kate asked.

The girl nodded.

"Is he here?" Kate questioned, her earlier scorn disappearing quickly, the hope leaking into her voice without her consent.

The girl answered with a question of her own.

"What is your name?"

"Katherine," Kate said, furrowing her brow. Why did that matter?

But the girl's hazel eyes lit up in recognition, a smile beginning to bloom on her face before she smothered it quickly.

The girl nodded and Kate felt her heart start beating faster in her chest.

He was here.

"Where?" Kate said, her voice breathless.

The girl's lip twitched.

"I can take you to him if you'd like."

Kate found herself unable to speak, so she just nodded. She brushed off Javier and Kevin, who looked as equally happy as they looked annoyed, and went to follow the girl.

Kate was lightheaded, dizzy with excitement as she walked behind the brown-haired girl through the crowd.

She had given up the hope of ever finding him again, all of those feelings that she had pushed down when she thought that he was never coming back bubbling to the surface.

She didn't know what she would do when she saw him.

A part of her wanted to scream at him for what he did to her, throw things, break things, leave him ruined for making her feel that way herself.

Another part wanted to run straight to him, throw her arms around his neck and kiss him, tell him that she loved him.

Yet another part of her just wanted to breathe him in. Three months had been far too long since the last time she'd seen him.

What if he didn't want to see her?

The thought sent a shot of panic through her chest.

What if he had already moved on? What if he had gotten over her and settled into a new life without her.

What if he had already found someone new?

She followed the girl up to a brick-front multilevel building with a book etched into a plaque on the door. The girl pushed the door open and slid inside, holding it open so Kate could pass through.

The store was lined with books: completed, printed works stacked on tables in the front of the store for purchase, what appeared to be journals tucked away in the corner. There were stacks of paper that could be bought, inkwells and pens that were available for purchase, a counter with a work bench behind it, a small printing press over towards the side for smaller projects.

If she was just browsing, she would've been impressed. This had to be Montgomery's shop, the one that he had told her about that very first night she kissed him. The business was obviously so much more than just books, specializing in all sorts of paper goods.

She could spend a lot of time in here.

But none of that mattered at that moment, because _he_ was behind the counter.

She froze just inside in the doorway. Three months of wondering where he had gone and here he was. His back was to her, hunched over something on a work bench, not even looking up when the door closed.

"Richard," the girl said quietly as she walked further into the shop, her arms still laden with paper, "I have a special order for you from town."

"Oh yeah?" he said, distracted, "and who is it for?" He asked, still not turning around.

The girl looked back at Kate before disappearing into a doorway behind the counter.

Kate realized that this was her moment.

"Kate," she said.

He froze, his shoulders tensing for a moment before she heard something clattering onto the wood of the bench. He turned around quickly, standing up, his eyes immediately finding hers, looking her up and down like he didn't believe she was real.

She swallowed, pushed her shoulders back, trying to keep her voice neutral and unaffected and failing miserably, her voice coming out in a throaty whisper.

"It's for Kate."

* * *

><p>(it's only fitting that since I tore them apart, I brought them back together)<p>

(okay, but seriously this time, there probably won't be an update tomorrow, because I know where I'm going... but don't know how to get there right now.)


	34. Chapter 34

The only explanation had to be that he was dreaming.

She looked just as beautiful as the day he had left. She was skinnier, her cheekbones protruding from her skin more than usual, the dark circles under her eyes a little more noticeable.

He wondered if he was the cause of that.

He knew that he had lost weight since he had been gone, the stress of leaving her combined with working and the lack of sleep caused by his writing had driven him to stop taking care of himself.

He wondered if part of that was because he wasn't able to take care of her anymore.

He braced his hands on the counter to try and steady himself, to try and keep from falling over.

Or worse, rushing over there and wrapping her up in his arms and kissing her senseless.

She was wearing her trousers again, must have been traveling and chosen comfort over fashion, and as much as he loved her in dresses, her dressed in slacks was almost too much to handle.

She was wearing the boots he bought her on her feet.

"Kate," he breathed, unable to form any other thought.

_She's here._

She took a couple of steps toward him.

"Hello, Rick," she said, and damn him if the sound of his name rolling off of her lips didn't threaten to completely undo him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, cringing, because it sounded like an accusation.

She took it as one, too.

He watched the almost imperceptible lift of her shoulders, the slight tilt of her chin.

"Kevin, Javier, and I were out near The Gates visiting Queen Victoria. We're on our way home."

A home that didn't include him anymore.

"And why did you stop?"

"Because it's going to rain."

"Ah…"

An awkward silence fell between them.

"So how have you been?" Rick asked.

"Well," she said, "I've been well…. Busy. Really… busy. You?"

"Great…. Alright," he amended, "… I've been… busy, too -" a breath "-Everyone else? How are they?"

"Oh, they're fine," Kate said, swallowing, "Alexis… she… she misses you."

"Yeah," he said, looking right at her, "I miss her, too."

Of all the ways she imagined this conversation going, she never thought it would be like this.

This was a bad idea. She couldn't figure out what he wanted to say and he was just staring at her, an indecipherable look in his eyes.

She opened her mouth to speak, hoping something would come out, but she heard the door open behind her.

A woman walked in, a shawl covering her hair, a basket full of food in her hands, nearly running into Kate.

"Oh," the woman said, shocked by Kate's presence, "I'm sorry. I didn't see you there."

Kate shook her head, "It's alright. My fault for standing right there."

"Evelyn," Rick said, "This is Ka-… Queen Katherine of Beckett. Kate… Evelyn Montgomery."

Kate frowned at him.

Why was he so determined to put so much distance between them?

Evelyn, however, responded immediately.

"Oh!" she said, dropping into a low curtsy, "I had no idea. My apologies, Your Highness. Queen Katherine…"

"Katherine is fine," Kate interrupted the woman with a soft smile.

"Would you like anything?" Evelyn continued, "A cup of tea? Some bread? I'm afraid I don't have much…"

"Evelyn," Kate said gently, "I'm alright," she reached out and touched the woman on the arm, "I promise."

The woman nodded slightly, looking at Richard before turning back to Katherine.

"Well, I must insist you stay here. It's just started raining and the farmers think that it's going to be a bad one. They think it might last days."

Kate smiled.

"Thank you, Evelyn."

She looked between the two of them quickly, noticing the tension, before quietly excusing herself and headed back towards the door the young girl had walked through before, disappearing on the other side. Kate looked back at Rick.

"Why do you do that?" she said, looking at him, an almost betrayed look in her eyes.

"Do what?" he said.

"_Queen Katherine_," she quoted him with scorn, "Why do you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Stop playing dumb," Kate warned.

He sighed.

"I just feel that everyone should know who you are, Katherine."

Hurt flashed across her eyes.

"You know…" Kate said, "I think I'm going to go, before the storm gets any worse."

The flash of panic that rose up in his chest wasn't a shock. The hurt that came with it didn't surprise him either.

"Dammit, Kate! You always do this."

… _That was not what he wanted to say._

"Do what?" Kate said, slightly offended.

"Hide!" he hissed, unable to stop himself now, "You are always hiding behind something!"

"That's not true," Kate said indignantly, "I've always been honest with you."

"Honest, maybe," Rick appeased, "But never open."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He lifted one of his hands off of the counter and rubbed it across his face, sliding it through his hair.

"You're always hiding behind something," Rick said, frustrated, "Your father's death, your training… I never got to just see _you_."

"You think I'm hiding? What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You think you're not hiding? You think I don't see what you're doing? The distance you put between us when you introduce me as a queen? I see it, Rick. You started pulling away as soon as we solved this." She looked at him, and he noticed her eyes were wetter than before, "Did _I_ ever see the real _you_, Rick? Or did I only get your words?"

"The real me?" He deadpanned. At Kate's unflinching stare, he pushed himself away from the counter.

He pointed at her, "Don't move."

She crossed her arms in annoyance, but didn't move, glaring at his retreating form as he moved back behind the door Evelyn and the girl had already gone behind. She heard what sounded like footsteps going up stairs, only a few moments passing before she heard him moving back down them, walking over towards her quickly, something clenched tightly in his hands.

He walked straight up to her, stopping when he was only a few inches away from her, shoving whatever he was holding into her chest. She stood her ground, her fingers coming up automatically to grip around the object.

He pulled away slightly.

"You want the real me?" he said, his voice low.

He didn't wait for a response.

"Read that," he said, gesturing towards the book in her hands, "It's all there."

Then he spun around on his heel and walked back from where he had gone before.

Kate knew he wasn't coming back.

She squeezed her eyes shut, swearing under her breath because she had once again let her anger get the best of her. She wanted to go after him, follow him where he couldn't run anymore but this wasn't her house. She had no right to go running through another person's space.

The book weighed heavily in her hands and she finally took the time to look at it. It was unassuming, just a simple brown leather cover, and for a moment she thought it was a journal.

Then she opened up to the first page.

It had a title.

_Nicole_.

She instantly recognized the name as the one she used when they were traveling, and she felt her heart beat faster in her chest.

She flipped over another few pages, his handwriting staring back up at her and she read the first page quickly.

It wasn't a journal. It was a story.

A story about her.

Kate tugged the page marker out of the middle, intending to put it in her place so she wouldn't have to touch the previous pages any more than she had to, wanting to preserve them as long as possible, but she froze, looking at the string between her fingers.

It was her hair ribbon. The one from that night she couldn't find when she had left him.

He had kept it all this time.

She closed the book quickly.

She needed to get out of there.

She took a deep breath, tucked the book underneath her blouse, and put her head down, walking out into the storm.

* * *

><p>As he walked into his room, he sat down on his bed, running his hands through his hair.<p>

Only a few moments passed before he heard the front door of the shop close downstairs and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt his anger dissipating quickly and a sense of dread settle into his stomach.

That may have very well been the last time he ever saw her. And he may have just given away the last tangible thing he had of her.

_Oh god._

He groaned, pushing his fists over his eyes and letting himself fall back onto his bed.

He should've tried to fix things first before rehashing the negative.

He should've tried to get her to stay.

He should've kissed her.

* * *

><p>(I figured it out)<p>

(Also... 36 chapters)


	35. Chapter 35

She didn't get the nerve to pick up the book again until later that night.

It took her 10 minutes of searching in the rain to find the inn that Javier and Kevin had found, and she was thoroughly soaked by the time she did. She was dripping wet, clutching the book desperately under her shirt to try and keep it as dry as possible.

As soon as she got back, Kevin and Javier had the woman run a hot bath for her and take a basin up to her room, and Kate had no urge to fight it. She noticed Kevin and Javier hovering more than usual, worried about what had happened to her because if the meet-up had gone well, she obviously wouldn't be with them now. She wouldn't have walked through the rain, looking like she was trying to hold herself together.

They stayed with her until her bath was drawn, when Kate forcefully kicked them out and told them she was fine. She waited a second after the door closed behind them, before peeling the book out from under her soaked blouse and looking at it.

Remarkably, the pages weren't very wet, only the cover. She nearly cried in relief.

Instead, she put the book on the table by her bed, peeled off the rest of her soaking wet clothes with shaking hands and submerged herself into her bath, trying to get the feeling back in her limbs.

After she was satisfied that all feeling had returned (and he bath water started to run cold) she got out of her bath, redressed in one of the changes of clothes she had brought (she had given Javier her bag before she left to go see Rick) and returned to Javier and Kevin. They ate together, the two of them making an extra effort to keep her from getting too quiet, making sure that she got plenty to eat, and sneaking glances at her from the corners of their eyes to make sure she was holding up alright.

It was as equally sweet as it was annoying.

It was nearly nightfall when she lit the lamp on her bedside table. She picked up the book that she had placed on beside her bed, her hand hesitating a moment over the now dry cover, before flipping it open and beginning to read.

She read until morning.

It was still raining by the time she finished, the sky was lighter though still grey, staring at the last page of the book unseeingly, her thoughts wandering elsewhere.

So this was it: The _real_ Richard Castle.

Right here, poured out onto the pages.

She read it again.

Just to make sure.

She finished the second time around midday, and now she was certain of it.

Anyone could read this book at tell that he was in love with her.

It followed his… _Jameson's…_ oh who was she trying to kid, _his _journey of falling in love with her. It described the first time he had seen her, how he was so overwhelmed by her that his words had caught in his throat and he couldn't push them past his lips until he had something as simple as putting one foot in front of the other and strolling around the room to distract him from her eyes. When Nicole and Jameson found out that she was being targeted, his panic wasn't for himself, but for her, because the thought of her living in a world where she wasn't safe was unacceptable, and a world where she no longer existed was unfathomable. Everything was in there. His anguish when he realized that her father was dead, his overwhelming anger when Lieutenant Karnacki had put his hands on her, when Joshua and Thomas had spit on her, when he had almost killed Javier at the mere thought of him hurting her. He wrote about how the weight of her hand in his own had kept him grounded after he had been stabbed. She cried when he described waking up alone the night after she had come to him, and how he thought she didn't love him when he realized that the night before hadn't been a dream like he had convinced himself it was. It ended with Jameson sneaking through the castle through the secret passageways they had gone into before, leaving because he thought that this would make it easier for everyone involved because, as long as she could move on and be happy, then he would be fine.

The ending angered her. What gave Jameson the right to decide what would make Nicole happy?

Hadn't she proved that she loved him?

She looked outside her window. The sky was grey, a light rain still falling but she had no doubt by the look of the clouds that the downpour would start again shortly. She stood up quickly and dressed, throwing on her second pair of trousers from yesterday and a deep red blouse, tying her boots quickly. She didn't bother tying her hair back, no one in town would want to be outside in this miserable weather. She grabbed the book off of her bed and left quickly, her feet carrying her towards her destination, her mind already there.

* * *

><p>He didn't think she would be back so soon.<p>

In fact, he wasn't sure she would be back at all after their fallout the day before. But as soon as he heard the front door to the shop open, he knew it was her. The rain had slowed down for a brief spell, but it was picking back up again, steadily beating against the walls of the shop as he worked. Still, it was miserable out.

No one but her would come.

He heard her steps move closer to the counter, but didn't turn around until he heard the familiar sound of a book dropping onto wood.

He looked at her, her hair slightly frizzy from the rain, but still curling around her face beautiful, her arms crossed over her chest, shirt dotted with the rain that had started falling.

"Why does Jameson get to decide what would make Nicole happy?" she asked, almost bitterly.

Well, that certainly wasn't how he expected this conversation to start.

"I'm sorry?"

"What makes you think that you have the right to decide what makes me happy?" She said again, her nostrils flaring.

"Did you finish it?"

She nodded tersely, pursing her lips, waiting for an answer.

"I was only trying to do what was best for you."

Kate scoffed, rolling her eyes, but he didn't miss the slight sheen in her eyes.

"What's best for me? If you thought what you did was "what was best for me", than you obviously never knew me at all."

She spun around on her heel, and made a move to leave.

This time though, he followed her. He wasn't going to let her get away again.

She was already out the door, walking out into the pouring rain as he hopped over the counter, chasing after her. He slipped on the soaked ground going out the door, but caught himself before he fell completely, catching up to her as soon as he could. He grabbed her arm, pulling her roughly to a stop and twisting her around to look at him, the glare still blazing in her eyes.

"I _do _know you," he said angrily, "_that's_ the problem. You are the most… challenging… maddening… frustrating woman I have ever met, and yet for some reason I still think you are extraordinary. I was there for you, every step of the way, for two straight months. And all you ever did… was push me away…"

"Then why did you stay?" She said, her voice shaking as if she was holding back tears, "If I'm all of those things, then why did you stay with me?"

"Because I love you!" he screamed.

They stood silently for a moment, already soaked, the downpour drenching them as they stood staring at each other, their chests heaving.

He saw her lips twitch and then she started shaking her head. She spun around on her heel shaking off his grip on her arm before she started to walk away from him again.

"So that's it?" he screamed, "You read it. I'm standing here right in front of you, telling you that I love you and you're still leaving?"

"Why should I believe you?" Kate yelled back, turning around and staring at him angrily, her eyes welling up, "Why should I believe a single word you say?"

"Because of everything we've been through together!"

"You left me!" she cried, her scream reaching him through the sound of the falling rain, the tears spilling out of the corners of her eyes, "I needed you, and you promised you would stay, and then you ran away!"

"That's not fair…" he said, his eyes on fire, moving closer to her, invading her personal space, "You ran _first_."

And just like that, all of the fight ran out of her.

She realized that she didn't have any argument to that. She had been the one to leave first.

She took a deep breath.

"I heard you," she breathed, swallowing some of the nerves down, "I heard you say you loved me that night."

His shoulders stiffened.

"And I ran… because I was afraid –"

She must have seen his face fall, noticed the way he backed away from her slightly.

"-Not of you!" she said, "I was afraid of myself… because when I got back to my room that night… I realized… I realized that I love you."

A silence fell between the two of them, the rain still falling around them.

"I was going to go back so I could tell you," she continued, taking a deep breath, "but Terri came in with a group of people to do my hair for the coronation and I couldn't leave without explaining why I needed to go and I wanted to talk to you first, so I told myself I would tell you the next day. But then you were acting and strange and -"

"… And then I left," he said, shaking his head.

He'd been so stupid.

Kate nodded, tears filling her eyes again, "And then you left."

"I'm sorry," she said, the tears spilling over again and she just wanted to stop crying, "I'm so sorr-"

He didn't give her a chance to finish, his lips fusing over hers. Her shock only lasted a moment before she sank into him, her arms winding themselves around his neck, pulling her closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her back, hugging her as tightly as possible to his chest and he kissed her. His tongue slid out past his lips and onto her own, and she opened to him immediately, a small whimper escaping from her lips as he shifted slightly, deepening their kiss.

God, he missed her.

He pulled away from her, looking down at her and god, she was just so beautiful and she tasted like forever and how did he ever think he would be able to be apart from her for long?

She was as much a part of him as the blood in his veins.

"I can't do this anymore," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

She immediately squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath, and he realized what he had just said.

"I don't want to be without you any longer," he clarified, his hands sliding from around her back and up towards her face. He slid his thumbs across her cheekbones, wiping the moisture off of them.

"I love you," he whispered, "more than I've ever loved anything in my entire life. You're my everything, and I'm sorry I ever made you doubt that…" He pressed a kiss to her forehead, before looking at her in the eyes, "… but I will spend the rest of my life fixing my mistakes if you'll have me."

Kate lurched forward in his hands, pressed a sharp kiss against his lips before pulling away quickly, pressing her forehead against his again.

"Just come back," she said, her hands clinging to his face desperately, "Please come home, Rick."

He nodded, looking at her for a moment, smiling at the beautiful smile that bloomed across her lips. She let out a breathless laugh.

"I love you," she said, pressing quick kisses on his lips, "I love you and I don't care who knows."

She kissed him again and he didn't let her pull away, one hand making its way up to her hair, the other wrapping around her waist, tugging her into him.

"I've missed you," she said against his lips as she pushed her chest against his. He groaned, trying to pull her even tighter against him.

She laughed into his kiss and he smiled back before deepening the kiss yet again, nearly lifting her small form off the ground.

He would never get enough of her.

Suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head.

Before he could stop himself, he pulled away from her, wincing.

"Rick?"

He shook his head, looking at her with a smile.

"I'm alright," he said, moving back toward her and murmuring against her lips, "I'm great actually."

He kissed her again, softer this time, the rain still falling around them. She responded tentatively until his fingers lightly scraped against the back of her neck, and she moaned appreciatively into his mouth.

"Ah!" he cried, another sharp pain in the back of his skull, this one much more painful. He doubled over, one hand coming up to his head.

"Rick?" she asked again, slightly more panicked, "Are you alright?"

He saw black spots in front of his eyes, felt his knees give out from under him, falling onto the ground, his eyes clamping shut.

He realized that he couldn't feel the rain anymore.

He opened his eyes and all he saw was white. He started to panic, his breath coming in quicker. He couldn't see her. He couldn't see anything.

And that's when he heard it.

"_Castle?"_

* * *

><p>(one more to go... one more to go)<em><br>_


	36. Chapter 36

(the end.)

* * *

><p>He heard it again, this time the voice louder.<p>

"Castle?"

The voice was coming from his side. Rick turned quickly to try and find the source, wincing at the sudden movement. He tried to shift where he was lying down, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Hey," he finally found her, focused in on her face to see her smiling at him. He vaguely noticed her other hand hovering over a table by his bedside. The hand on his shoulder moved to his forehead, brushing some of his hair off of his brow, "How are you feeling?"

He groaned, "Like I just got hit with a bus."

Kate gave him a sad smile.

"The doctor should be in here soon. They'll give you something for the pain."

Doctor?

He took in his surroundings: the harsh, white light, the uncomfortable bed, the different, but not altogether unpleasant draft he was currently experiencing.

Oh, he was in a hospital.

But why –

Oh, right.

They had been working the case, the princess killer. Someone was murdering face actresses from various companies around the city, the kind of girls who get paid to go to birthday parties and pretend to be Cinderella and Snow White. It wasn't until they dug deeper, that they uncovered the prostitution ring.

Which explained the dream.

His musings were cut off as he heard his hospital door open, a woman dressed in a lab coat over scrubs walking in.

"Good evening, Mr. Castle," she said, "I'm glad to see you're awake. I'm Dr. Tompkins."

Rick nodded, "How long have I been out?"

"Only a few hours," Dr. Tompkins said, moving over to check his vitals, shining a light in his eye, "Do you remember anything?"

"Bits and pieces," he admitted.

Dr. Tompkins nodded. She moved over towards the edge of the bed and picked up his chart.

"Well, Mr. Castle, you have a few bruised ribs, and some stitches over the knife wound on your arm. And you suffered a minor concussion after you hit the ground," Dr. Tompkins looked up at him and smiled, "But you'll be fine. We're looking to release you early tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you, Dr. Tompkins," Kate said.

Dr. Tompkins smiled at her, "If you need anything at all, just hit the call button," she gestured towards the table next to his bed, no doubt referring to the button Kate pressed to call her in there to begin with, "Someone will be in a little while later to check in on him."

Kate nodded, and Rick attempted to smile, and Dr. Tompkins left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"I had the weirdest dream," Rick said after a moment, squeezing his eyes shut to try and keep out the light from the hospital.

"Doesn't surprise me," Kate murmured, a smile clear in her voice, "With your imagination? I can only imagine what 6 hours of drug induced sleep would do to your thoughts."

He felt the mattress shift underneath him and opened his eyes. Kate had sat down on the edge of the bed by his knees.

"So what really happened?" he asked, "I heard the PG version from the doc. I want the dirty details."

"The dirty details, huh?" Kate said, chuckling a little before she sobered up and got serious. "Do you remember the warehouse?" At Rick's nod, she continued, "You, me, Ryan, and Esposito all went in with our vests. We thought maybe we'd run into 1 or 2 of the suspects. Didn't expect there to be 10 of them waiting for us… They got the jump on us, but we took most of them down. But we didn't see the guy hiding behind the wall."

Rick flinched, the memories coming back as she told him the story.

"He got the drop on me and we fought for a little until you found me and helped."

"Looks like I didn't do all that great," Rick mumbled, looking pointedly at the bruise under her eye.

"The guy got a good punch in," She agreed, before giving him a small smile, "but I got in two."

"Any other injuries I should be aware of?" he asked, concerned.

Kate shrugged, "Just a rolled ankle. But that's taped up and nearly as good as new."

She looked at him, a small smile making its way onto her lips, her hand resting on his knee.

"We make quite a pair don't we?"

He smiled at her before shifting over on the bed, grunting a little as his ribs protested.

"Careful," Kate cautioned.

"I'm fine," Rick said between clenched teeth. Once he was situated, he patted the spot by his hip.

"Come up here," Rick said, "You're too far away down there."

Kate hesitated.

"For me?" he whispered, before changing tactics, "Be kind to me, I'm injured."

She rolled her eyes, but stood up from her place and moved to sit down on the bed directly beside him.

She picked up his hand not attached to the IV and started playing with his fingers.

"You've got to stop doing that," Kate said softly, not looking at him.

"What?" he asked, not following her train of thought.

"Being willing to die for me."

His eyes snapped open, now fully alert.

"I won't apologize for that."

Kate huffed, "You jumped in front of someone with a knife, Rick."

"Because he was going to _stab_ you, Kate."

"But I'm –"

"Don't tell me you're a cop," he said, "I know you are. But me protecting you? That isn't going to change. It wasn't going to stop me when I started out as your partner, and it's certainly not going to stop now that you're my girlfriend."

She gave him that twisted smile of hers, the one where she's desperately trying to smother it but she just can't so she tries to turn it into a grimace of sorts, but her eyes give her away every time.

Even after nearly 8 months of being together, 8 months of fights and disagreements and sharing beds and pure bliss, even after all that time he knows that Kate Beckett still gets those little, girly, butterflies in her stomach when he calls her his girlfriend.

He knows… because he still gets them too when she calls him her boyfriend.

Although… he thinks his are more like the rumble of an engine. Butterflies aren't manly enough for him. When she claims him, it's like the rev of her motorcycle. God it really gets him -

She leaned over, effectively cutting off his thoughts mid-ramble, pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

He hummed into her kiss.

"And I'm glad you're alright," he responded. He lifted his hand still twined with hers, bringing it up to her uninjured cheek.

"You look tired."

She shrugged, "So do you."

He shifted slightly in his bed until there was enough room for her to lie down next to him.

"Come on," he said, trying to tug her down next to him.

She resisted.

"Castle, no…" she chided.

"Please?" he whispered.

She shook her head, "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," he assured her with a smile, "This is my good side."

She still looked doubtful.

"We both need our rest," he said softly, squeezing her hand, "And you know I sleep better when you're here."

He saw her eyes soften and knew he had her so he tugged on her hand again, pulling her down towards the bed.

She settled down next to him, her good cheek pressed against his good shoulder, her arm lying lightly on top of his chest, hardly putting pressure on him at all. He wrapped his good arm around her waist, tugging her closer to him.

He sighed happily.

"That's better."

"You know a nurse is just going to come in and wake you up in the next hour right?"

"Then we better start sleeping soon," he retorted, brushing a kiss against her hair. Her felt her smile against his shoulder.

"Kate?" he asked a moment later.

"Hm?" she mumbled.

"If you were a queen, would you marry a troubadour?"

She shifted slightly, looking up and raising an eyebrow at him.

"My dream," he elaborated.

"Ah…" Kate said, nodding once, as if that explained everything, settling back down onto his shoulder.

For a moment he thought she wasn't going to answer.

"If I loved him? If he took care of me and made me smile? Then yes, I think I would marry a troubadour."

He hummed, clearly content with her answer. He let his eyes slide shut, the exhaustion and pain medicine drawing him back closer to sleep.

"But it's a moot point anyway," she said.

"How is that?" he asked sleepily.

"Oh come on, Castle…" she said, her voice teasing.

He could tell he was smirking at him without opening his eyes.

"We both know that you think of yourself as a king."

* * *

><p>(Well… that's it.<br>['Twas the plan right from the start.  
>I tried about 6 different endings, but the only one <em>I <em>was happy with was this]  
>This started out as a present for two friends [who had a cameo, if you didn't recognize Erin and Kris (and Dr. Tompkins at the end is another friend)] which turned into a character study to see if I could essentially take every main character and place them in a world completely unlike the one they already exist in, and still keep them in character as much as possible.<br>I think I did alright.  
>It was fun, really it was. Throwing all those references in there, going back and trying to incorporate things from past episodes… It made me smile.<br>This story was supposed to be like… 10 chapters. I have an issue with multi-chapter stories… so this behemoth caught me completely off guard, and after the response for the first few chapters, I never thought it would get as much love as it did, because the idea is strange, and the concept is weird, and I just want to thank everyone who's read for giving it a chance.  
>This story has taught me a lot about myself as a writer:<br>1. I'm never writing an extensive AU again. This shit sucks.  
>2. I'm going to wait until I actually have the story finished before posting because my updating was so sporadic and I know that annoys me as a reader so I'm sure it annoyed you.<br>3. Never title something with a metaphor that you don't intend to fully explain. I tried to throw hints of it in there occasionally, but I also realize that not everyone thinks like an English major.  
>To everyone that's read and reviewed, <strong>thank you so much<strong>. You really have no idea how much it means to me.

My friends, it's been a spectacular journey, and I'd love to know your final thoughts.)


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